


A Hundred Winks of Sunshine

by Tsume_Yuki



Category: Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Happy Bella, Self Insert, Twilight but with positivity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-28
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-05-15 00:21:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,015
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14780063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tsume_Yuki/pseuds/Tsume_Yuki
Summary: In which Bella is confident, cheerful and striving for a happy (second) life. Cullen Clan, meet little Miss Positivity.





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

 

“That’s it, Bells.”

Nose scrunched up and tiny hands poking out from beneath rolled up coat-sleeves, Isabella Swan hefts her prized catch into the air, triumphant grin all but smeared across her face. It’s an adorable expression, all big brown eyes and dimpled cheeks. Charlie’s heart swells at the picture she makes. His darling little girl laughs, pudgy fingers valiantly struggling to keep hold of the still flopping fish. She counts down from five to one and then the fish is away, a single splash of lake water the only evidence of its time with them.

“See! I caught that one all on my own,” she croons, palms slick from grasping at scales, cheeks flushed with excitement. He’s lucky really. How many other men can say their daughters are just so full of life, so willing to try anything and everything? Isabella is smart too. Smart, healthy, and happy. He cannot possibly ask for anything more. That his darling little girl enjoys coming fishing with him is just one big bonus.

“I saw, Bells. Well done.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Being reborn again isn’t so bad. True this time the parents are divorced, true there’s no siblings... but she’s loved. She wanted. She’s been treasured. In all honesty, she couldn’t have asked for anything more to experience in this life. Though undoubtedly she confused the hell out of her Mom and Dad in those first toddling years when she’d spoken with a British accent.

Fiddling with the earphones that hang mute between her fingers, Isabella ‘Bella’ Swan shifts eagerly from foot to foot, all but brimming with excitement at seeing her father again. Though she’s been coming to Forks every year for summer (sunny days spent fishing or on the Reservation with Jacob and Billy, rainy days spent playing board games or splashing in backyard puddles), the concept of actually living with her father for a few years is exciting. She doesn’t begrudge her mother having some newly-wed time with Phil. The man’s good for her, treats her like the absentminded queen she is; Bella approves. Being able to truly set down some roots in Forks is going to be an experience too, maybe make some friends outside of Jake. Not that there’s anything wrong with Jake, but Jake has other friends and she can’t rely on him to fill her socialisation quota. Him and Charlie, who is undoubtedly ecstatic to have her educated-in-cooking self occupying his kitchen for the undetermined future. Man can’t cook worth a damn, at that point it was learn or live off takeaway.

“Bells?”

“Yesss, you’re here!” Springing into action, Bella jars her suitcase from the curb, striding forwards before discarding the luggage handle immediately. Charlie barely has time to open his arms before she’s leaping into them, engulfed in the safe scent of home away from home. Or home II. Additional home.

“Missed me, Bells?”

“Always, Dad. You missed my cooking?”

“Oh yeah, the whole reason I wanted you up here,” the gruff is light and Bella smiles into the flannel shirt that’s itching her cheek. There’s one more moment in which see just presses her face that little bit further into Charlie’s chest, taken back to the days of her childhood; days of fishing trips and hours of playing monopoly with rain slashing against the window.

“You need to wash this shirt, I can smell the fishing trip on you.”

.

Settling back into life in Forks is far from difficult. Her bedroom is the same as she’d left it last year, barring the few things she’d had shipped up from Phoenix. A jewellery box filled with all sorts of knick-knacks (ranging from genuine jewellery to questionable stones in various pretty shades), several boxes of clothing, the yoga mat and ball Renee had given up on years ago and Bella had swiftly claimed as her own. A new addition to the house is the beaten up, rusted red truck that now commands half the drive. Her truck, affectionately dubbed ‘Ol’ Red’. Jacob had laughed when he’d brought the beast over from the Res, eagerly sharing the better tales of his past year with her. She’ll wring the more embarrassing tidbits from Billy at some point in the future.

Smearing a healthy amount of marmalade across the surface of her toast, Bella jams the bread into her mouth, leaning by the corner counter. Her hair’s still up in a ponytail from a morning run, something Charlie’d scoffed at with a warm smile. Flavour bursts across her tongue as she wrestles the bobble free, smoothing done the multitude of creases in the ‘one-size bigger than needs be’ jumper she’d thrown on for the day. It’s a worn thing, something Charlie’d bought her last year during her summer visit. Back then it’d been even bigger on her. There’d been a flustered smile of pleasure on her Dad’s face upon sighting the jumper once again in use, it’s the whole reason Bella’d put it on, after all. Though the cartoon goldfish in the police car motif is a little weird, at least it’s a potential talking point for her peers. Where he’d even managed to purchase such a thing, however, Bella has no clue.

Popping the last of bit of toast into her mouth, Bella scoops up her schoolbag, slinging the first strap over her shoulder and wiggling to acquire the other.

“Alright there, Bells?”

“I’m good,” she grunts, cooing victoriously when the arm she’s got half contorted around her back finally finds the second strap. Backpack in place, Bella rolls her shoulders and makes for the door, bouncing nervously along. “See you later tonight, Dad. Have a nice day!” She doesn’t quite hear his reply, pulling open the door with a little too much enthusiasm. The sky’s grey, an inverted valley of clouds stretching out from horizon to horizon. No sun in sight. Not the bright and brilliant day she’d wanted for her first trip to school, but she’ll make do. Second chance at life, this time she’s going to grab it by the horns and crack on. If living a second time has taught her anything, it’s to appreciate every damn little thing, to reveal in each experience and treasure every relationship. What’s the point in getting moody over things she can’t change? It could have been worse, she could have been born in some struggling third world country in which women are second class citizens.

Pumped for the day, Bella wretches open Ol’ Red’s door, leaping up into the driver’s seat and shucking off her bag to rest in the passenger’s footwell. The whole cab reeks of tobacco and scent of Jacob’s childhood it may be, but she sure as hell isn’t going to be turning up for school smelling like she smokes forty a day. The windows screech in disagreement as she goes about winding them down, the handle stiff and stubborn. Undoubtedly, it will take more than one drive with the window open to air the whole truck, but Bella can totally deal with the wind whistling in her ear.

“Right. New school, new people, new life here. I can handle this. Worse comes to worse, it’s only a few years, but there’s going to be someone there that’ll like me. Statistically, there has to be.” Prep talk done, Bella forced Ol’ Red to take his first shuddering breath under her command and shoved the gearstick into first. “Here we go.”

 

 

 

Fork High School is a hell of a lot smaller than what she’s used to.

Chewing on the abused skin of her lip, Bella considers the building before her with both her hands wrapped tight around her backpack’s straps. There’s no shorts here, it’s not something that’s possible in Washington temperatures; what little tan she had managed to coax onto her legs is going to be long gone by the end of the week. Phoenix had been crowded, lively in a way that escapes this place. Oh sure there are teenaged about, but there’s little drama. This is just school to them, a place to go and serve a few hours a day in order to edge that little bit closer to freedom. Bella sure as hell isn’t going to be like that. She’s going to enjoy every damn moment of her stay, she’s going to soak up all the knowledge she can, going to enjoy the vast array of experiences that come with being part of a small school. Hell, she might even be able to put names to half the faces she sees by the end of the week.

Sucking in one more fortifying breath, Bella starts across the car park, heading for the reception with her hands still tight on bag straps. A few students stare, clicking into the fact she’s unfamiliar, and Bella makes sure to smile at them, going so far as to offer a little wave of greeting that’s more often than not tentatively returned. They probably have no idea what to make of her, Bella muses with a little grin. She’s a new face, but she’s also not coming off as nervous. But really, once you’ve lived one life, coming back to school... well, there’s worse things in the world than not being liked by everybody, worse things than not fitting into a small town.

She’ll be fine, no matter how the cookie crumbles.

 

 

 

.

 

 

 

 

Jessica has no idea what to make of Isabella ‘call me Bella’ Swan. She’s always been certain she‘s one of the most confident girls in their school, it’s not a mindset she’s ever thought would be threatened before. But here comes the pretty brunette from out of town, capturing everyone’s attention so effortlessly that Jessica can feel the green eyed monster rearing it’s ugly head. She’s not a stupid girl; Jessica is well aware she can get jealous. She’s aware of just how quickly she can get envious too. But, it’s not really something she wants to change. What’s the point? It’s a small town, whatever someone has over her will fade into obscurity as life continues onwards.

It doesn’t mean she won’t latch onto Isabella Swan and ride in the wake of her popularity as the new girl while she can. Soon enough, Bella will become a permanent resident in Forks and all the hullabaloo will disappear.

Yet, if there’s one stable fixture, it is the utter disinterest the Cullen Clan show, even with the new girl. Bella might be pretty and different, but even she can’t attract their attention. Just like the rest of school, lowly mortals that they are.

Sneaking a peek at Edward Cullen from beneath her lashes, Jessica feels her cheeks flush and her mouth dry. Because really, the things she’s like to do to that boy... she’d climb him like a tree. And that’d be just the opening act.

“Well, aren’t you gonna ask?”

Bella blinks (huge doe-like eyes, no wonder Mike’s perked up and been paying her some attention, the bitch) head cocking to a side and sandwich frozen halfway into her mouth. Yeah, Jessica can admit that’s cute, she’ll have to try that one herself.

“Ask what, Jessica?” Bella speaks only after she has removed the food from her mouth, genuine confusion marring her features. Urgh, it’s difficult to dislike her when the girl is just so... open and accepting. She’s listened to every word Jessica’s said, enquired about her interests; Bella Swan comes off as a genuinely good person. It has to be an act, surely. No one is that happy go lucky.

“About the Cullens, of course.”

“Cullens?” There’s... there’s a twinge of familiarity to Bella’s confused parroting and it has Jessica pausing. There’s no way that word of the supermodel worthy family has spread outside of Forks. There’d be talents scouts for all sorts of shiny careers crawling about the town if that were the case. Bella flicks her eyes in the direction of the table that must not be approached and Jessica is treated to the same surprised awe that spreads across everybody’s face when they first see the Cullens.

“Oh, okay. They’re very pretty.”

“Pretty!?” Jessica repeats in disbelief, staring hard at Bella until the girl finally stops paying attention to her dinner and meets her gaze.

“Well, yes. I can’t exactly comment on their personality, given I haven’t spoken to any of them yet-“

“Bella! You don’t speak to them. You admire from afar, dreaming longingly of the day they’ll swoop in and sweep you up-“

“Okay, I think I get it,” Bella chuckles, a grape pinched between her forefinger and thumb. She flicks it up, making a valiant attempt to catch it between her teeth but she’s met with only failure. The grape bounces off her chin instead, rolling back onto the table and the weirdest girl Jessica has ever met just laughs, plucking up another grape to try again. Why the hell she’d try again when she just embarrassed herself by utterly failing, Jessica has no clue. This time she manages it, indulging in a little fist pump that is absolutely not adorable in any shape or form. Not at all.

“Anyway,” Jessica stresses, eager to get things back on track, “they’re all adopted by Carlisle Cullen -he’s a doctor at the local hospital- because his wife can’t have kids.” She waits for the scandalised interest... but it doesn’t come. Bella Swan just continues looking at her, waiting for her to continue. “But get this, Rosalie and Emmett are together. Like, as a couple. And they live together!”

“And the other three?” Finally! A mote of interest!

“They’re all single! Alice is the short pixie one, Jasper’s a senior, the one with blond hair. And! And then there’s Edward. He’s a junior like me.” Jessica near swoons as she finishes up, only just managing to drag her eyes from the copper haired god across the room to focus on Bella and her amused smile.

“Well good for them. I’m sure they’ll make someone happy someday.” Huh?

Snapping back to attention, Jessica eyes the new girl suspiciously but, but she can’t see the act, can’t see any faults. It’s almost as if Bella Swan genuinely doesn’t care about the chance (however small) of bagging a Cullen for herself.

She must be staring more than‘s polite, for Bella pops the last grape into her mouth and grins at her.

“I’m not going to say I’m not interested, but I’m also... not bothered, if that makes sense? I want to be happy, so I’m not going to get hung up in a teenage drama of ‘woe, does he like me or doesn’t he?’.” She shrugs, clicking the lid of the empty plastic container shut. “If it happens, it happens. If not, there’s plenary of fish in the sea out there... I’m sure I’ll reel one in somehow.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s something achingly familiar about this; the same kind of sensation that nestled deep into your bones and hibernates for the winter, filling your body with discomfort.

Muscles tense, Bella flicks another cautious look at the (admittedly very attractive) teen sitting beside her. He’s on edge himself, forearms braced tight with hands out of sight beneath their work bench. Mentally, Bella crosses him off as a potential romantic interest. Or even as a friend, really. She’s pretty certain he hasn’t even breathed once since she pulled up a chair beside him. Maybe she’ll be able to play the social anxiety card and wiggle out of this seat to another one? If not, well Bella‘s not going to transfer out of biology so Edward Cullen (that rings a bell, why the hell does that name ring a bell?) is just going to have to suck it up and deal with it. Bella jolts when her assigned partner suddenly lets out a pained groan, rising from his chair and exiting the classroom without a word, to the stunned disbelief of everyone present. Bella stares gormlessly at the door as it swings shut before turning bewildered eyes on the equally stunned teacher.

Not much learning happens with the rampant discussion that overtakes the biology class after that little display.

 

 

Covertly sniffing at her jumper (and confirming once again it is utterly free of odour de fishing trip), Bella waves goodbye to Jessica and her little group of friends, eagerly clambering into Ol’ Red and dumping her bag on the passenger seat. Notebooks and pens spill out from the open top but she’s far too focused to care right now. Unable to secure the promise of a different seat, Bella’s heading straight to the closest perfume retailer at the first opportunity. That or she’s going to have an attempt at mixing her own via dodgy YouTube videos. Who knows, maybe she’ll managed some natural-sourced wonder and make millions. Snorting, the brunette shifts Ol’ Red into reverse, even as her foot stills before touching the pedals.

The whole Cullen Clan are gathered in the car-park, minus he of the sensitive nose. The blonde girl is towering over short and spunky and Bella tenses up, one hand going for the door-handle. Just because they live together (and oh, something is really tugging at the back of her mind there) doesn’t mean they have to get along. The pixie one (Alice, was it?) hastily says something to the blonde and suddenly they’re both looking her way, one with a fierce scowl and the other with an overly cheerful grin. Blinking, Bella slowly lifts one hand, giving a little wave to the two with a smile, all the while trying to silently convey to Alice Cullen that if something’s going down, she won’t be up against family on her own. From the impossible widening of her smile, Bella can almost pretend that her fellow junior got the message, loud and clear. When the two girls loop their arms together, blondie rolling her eyes with a fond smile that is unquestionably for Alice alone, Bella finally shifts the truck into gear. Hell, maybe she’s made a new friend there. If odd stare-outs across the carpark can even count as true social interaction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Emmett Cullen peers through the thick trees that pepper across the entirety of Forks, watching the poor human who was unlucky enough to be a vampire’s singer. Or, was it lucky enough to be Edward’s singer? Oh boy, does he remember his own singers. It hadn’t so much falling of the bandwagon as it’d been an enthusiastic leap. But no, he needs to stop thinking on that because otherwise he’s gonna have to go feed. Again.

With eyes as golden as possible (and stomach sloshing with what is perhaps just a little too much animal blood, but better safe than sorry when she’s caught Edward’s attention so), Emmett tracks the daughter of the police chief as she crosses her backyard. A tiny waif of a girl, though she’s clearly not scared of getting down and dirty. Folding his arms, Emmett crouches lower on the tree branch, tracking the girl’s progress as she scales one of the larger trees in the backyard. She’s got a thick piece of rope tied tight around her waist, the excess length trailing back to Earth and wiggling as she climbs. It’s only when she loops it around one of the sturdy limbs branching off from the trunk that Emmett clicks what she’s doing. It’s been a while since he saw a human make an old fashioned swing. Hell, it’s been a while since anyone in the family made an old fashioned swing. When you can run faster than a car, that kind of thing doesn’t hold the same appeal as it once did.

The sun continues it’s steady march down to hide beneath the trees and Isabella Swan never waivers from her self appointed task. Soon enough, an imperfect swing, complete with wooden plank seat and duck-taped ‘handles’ on the rope itself, now hangs proudly from the tree.

With her hands planted firmly on her waist, Isabella gives the latest addition to the yard a quick inspection. She must be pleased with what she sees, because a wide grin breaks out across her face and Emmett is treated to the hilarious sight that is Isabella Swan attempting an running leap onto her creation. She overshoots the runway, ass missing the seat, not even managing a quick peck of action as she flies over it. The sheer amount of effort it takes to not laugh at her almost brings Emmett to his knees, though his smile is hella genuine when the girl just laughs at herself. He has to double back further into the forest when she actually does manage to get up onto the swing, and then fall right back off again after she got too engaged in her ‘victory dance’.

Oh man, she’s a riot. He’s so glad Edward didn’t eat her.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, Author has not read Twilight for nearly a decade now.

 

 

 

“His appendix burst?!” Bella parrots dumbly, Jessica simply nodding along with a deep pout and genuine worry in her eyes. True, she barely knows Edward and true, Bella kinda gets the feeling she’s more in love with the idea of him, but the point is, Jessica is worried. And Bella kinda feels like a hag for thinking so bad of Edward Cullen while his internal organs ruptured. Whoops, guilt trip galore.

And that is when Bella is hit with a bout of inspiration.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

“Got yourself a suitor, Alice?”

“Nope!” Bouncing into the living room, Alice presents the bouquet to Edward with a flourish, producing the accompanying card she’d tucked into her jacket at the first opportune moment after she’d been entrusted with its safe delivery. Her dear brother stares at the stems, utterly bamboozled as he works through the hazed remains of Isabella’s lingering scent. The rest of the family slowly (for vampires anyway) migrate over, even Rose looks curious. Alice is all but vibrating with excitement over what’s happened; she’s adorable and Alice is certain they’re going to be the best of friends. So thoughtful, so kind, so, unexpected! This is going to be great!

“A get-well card?”

“Yep! Since we’re rolling with the whole appendix thing- but I didn’t even see this coming! Bella must’ve just decided it on the fly!”

Alice claps her palms together, mind already whirling with the vast amount of information that has been steadily brewing there for years. She’d had no idea that Bella would be Edward’s singer; it makes things riskier than she’d like. The rest of them may not know it yet, but Bella is going to be a close part of their family. She’ll better them, complete their unit. Edward might be able to read this from her mind, but he doesn’t know it, doesn’t yet feel it in his bones, doesn’t sense it with every step and every breath. Not like Alice does.

No, the future is looking bright and it is at last so close Alice can almost taste it, can feel the flavour sitting on the back of her throat as her mouth pools with venom. It’s here at last.

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

Fingers aching and breath a visible ghost before her lips, Bella sits back on her haunches, grinning wildly at her Dad. She’d rolled out of bed (not so) bright and (certainly) early, only to find Charlie in the process of attaching snow chains to the trust rusk bucket that she calls a truck. He’d seemed surprised at her eagerness to help and, while her fingers certainly aren’t thanking her for it, the experience has been another good slot of Daddy/daughter bonding time.

“Well, I think that should do it, Bells.”

“I’d say so. Thanks for starting it, but next time give e a shout? Because this is certainly something I need to know how to do if I’m gonna be spending a few years here.” Offering Charlie one more smile, Bella clambers to her feet, brushing down the rumpled material of her jumper. It’s a different motif today, an old Halloween favourite with a cheesy logo. It’s not the season yet but Bella’s not really bothered; the burnt orange colouring suits her skin tome and the wool is soft as hell. “Well, I’ll head off. I’ve got you a packed lunch set up in the fridge; I did it while I was making my own. See you tonight, Chief!”

Snapping off a quick salute to the background noise of her father’s chuckles, Bella jolts open the door of the trunk, scooping up her bag from where she’d deposited it on the drive earlier, and clambers into the cab. It’s far from graceful; at one point she one of the bag’s straps caught on the stick-shift and Ol’ Red complains loudly when she attempts to wrestle it free and almost throws the truck into a sixth gear that doesn’t exist. But she manages well enough, settling into the driver’s seat with only minimal fuss. A quick glance out the windscreen and Bella scoffs, fondly rolling her eyes at the sight of her father in hysterics. Okay, it probably was funny to anyone watching, she’ll admit to that. Allowing the engine to roar to life beneath her fingers (admittedly, Ol’ Red is more a retired lion lounging upon pride rock than a king of the jungle in his prime), Bella throws the truck into reverse and swings out into the road. Not too many years left of school now… perhaps she should truly start considering just what she will be doing after that. She’s got a lot open to her this time around, what with being in the land of the free. More opportunities than a small costal town in England that is.

 

 

 

 

Sliding into what is swiftly becoming her seat at the cafeteria table, Bella drops her bookbag to the ground with a solid sounding thump, nudging it beneath the table with the heel of her foot. She’s a little doubtful that any of the teenagers here would take a fall as gracefully and full of good humour as she might, so better to be safe than sorry. Pulling out a carton of homemade pasta, Bella cracks the lid from the top, fork twisting in her hands before she spears one of the penne.

“Oh my god, Bella, oh my god!” Jolting at Jessica’s less than subtle words, Bella stares crestfallenly down at the pasta that has dropped from her fork thanks to the vigorous shaking Jessica is giving her arm.

“Jess, ‘m trying to eat.”

“Edward’s back!” Jessica hisses and Bella finally drags her eyes up from her untouched lunch, meeting the burning golden gaze from across the room. Holy hell, those are some startling eyes. Bella blinks, breaking the improv staring contest as she turns her attention back to her pasta, this time skewering two pieces with a frown. “Bella!”

“What, Jessica, would you like me to say?” Grinning as she finally (finally!) gets to eat a bite of her lunch since cracking the lid off two minutes ago, Bella turns her attention to the other girl, cocking a deliberating eyebrow her way.

“Come on, Bella, you could at least admit you’re a little interested.”

“Look, just because I find them all hella attractive, doesn’t mean I’m going to wax poetically about shoving my tongue down their throat. Or if you would like me to dig further into the typical teenage fantasies for something to wrap my tongue around-”

“Bella!” Jessica screeches scandalised, drawing the attention of half the cafeteria to their table. The other half are preoccupied with the Cullen table, where the big burly one has broken out into thunderous bellowing laughter. It’s a warm sound, bright and happy; she can see why he’s the one spoken for out of the three guys.

“You think it, not say it aloud!”

“Nah, I’ve got better things to occupy my brain with. Besides, I want more than a teenage mentality of too cool for school, I can’t risk acknowledging those of lower social standing.” Jabbing her empty fork in Jessica’s direction, as if to punctuate the finality of her sentence, Bella returns to her food with a smile smearing across her face.

“Anyway, enough about them. Tell me about your dress, the date worthy one you were bragging about.”

With one last glance towards the Cullen table (where Big and Beefy has yet to stop chuckling), Jessica begins to elaborate on the dress she had discovered on a previous shopping expedition to Port Angeles. Bella listens attentively, pulling through as much food as she can while Jessica fills the air with white noise. Well, not white noise, that’s not a fair description. Bella’s listening, she’s soaking everything in the other girl says… but part of her is still very much aware of a pair of eyes still drilling into the side of her head. Flicking her gaze back to the Cullen table, Bella meets the scorching stare Edward Cullen is directing her way, a slight pucker at the skin above his eyebrows. How does appendicitis work? Has he had his appendix removed, or have they just fixed it up? Is he really well enough to have come back to school? With any luck, he’s hopefully as skilled at lip-reading as he is at giving teenaged, intimidating glares.

‘You okay?’

He stares a bit longer, frowns a little deeper, before the edges of his lips twitch up in an ever so slight smile and he ducks his head. It’s the tiniest, barest nod of agreement but it settles the worry in Bella’s stomach. He’s okay and with any luck he won’t be kneeling over in biology now. Hopefully he’s as nice to get along with as he is to look at. In the meantime-

“Jess, come over to my house tonight and bring your best three dresses. After that, we’re going out for a meal- there is somewhere to have a meal here, right?” The other girl flounders for a moment, popping a cherry tomato between her lips.

“Yeah, but why are we going for a meal?”

“Why not? That’s what friends do, right?” The answering smile she gets in return is promising. Maybe she’s not so incapable of making friends after all. And well, Bella thinks as her eyes slide back over to the Cullen table once more, it’s go big or go home, right?

 

 

 

 

Dropping into her chair (and it is her chair now, she’s been occupying it for several weeks now) with all the grace and enthusiasm of a dog in snow, Bella slides her bag beneath the table as her notebook hits the top. Edward is already sitting beside her, and he is once again as stiff as… well, there’s a fair few things she could describe him as, each one getting less polite as she considers them. Banishing the ideas from mind (and absentmindedly noticing that the cute pixie Cullen has managed to secure a table swap to sit herself across the aisle from Edward), Bella picks up a pen and twirls it around her fingers.

“So… you all healed up now?” Edward hums, the sound low and rough. Bella bites back the instinctive thoughts on rudeness, drumming a reminder of what happened the last time she made assumptions into her brain. That she’s swearing some new perfume just in case is a moot point. She should go for a run after this; she’d avoided it this morning given the night’s chicken remains stretching across the sidewalk with its iced fingers. By now it should have all melted… maybe. Hopefully? It’ll be nice to get some crisp winter air into her lungs.

A slip of paper nudged against her forearm and Bella startles. In the neatest handwriting she’s ever seen from a boy, there’s ‘I am sorry, it hurts to talk for too long -Edward’. That he’s taken the time to scribble that down (though let’s not mention his handwriting is calligraphy worthy) is kinda sweet. Especially given the male ego of most boys here. Though she’d had no idea appendicitis could affect the voice. Then again, poor boy might have gotten an infection from whatever hospital procedure he’d gone through. Bella is, after all, not the be all and end all of all knowledge.

“It’s fine, I can talk enough for the both of us I guess. Though if you get tired of it, well you’ll just have to deal.” Bella let’s the words sit in the air for a moment before she snorts, offering the curious, right state Edward gives her a winning smile. “I’m joking. If I’m bothering you, just elbow me and I’ll shut up.” Pen flicking across the paper between them, Bella only releases it once she’s done with her little caricature; a mini-Edward brandishing razor sharp elbows now present. The barely masked befuddlement on her table-mate’s face is hilarious. Equally amusing is the way his adopted sister is, in a far from subtle way, attempting to see what she’s doodled.

‘You’re not what I was expecting.’

“Expecting some kind of Jessica 2.0, I wanna climb the Cullen boys like a tree, big city girl?” Edward shakes his head, looking away and one hand fluffs through his hair, whisking bronze locks to and fro. He still look exceptionally model-like, it’s sort of ridiculous but makes him very nice to look at indeed. “I mean, don’t get me wrong. I like Jessica, but I am aware she’s… a stereotypical teenager.” Jessica can be nice; the pressure of being semi-popular and coupled with a determination to remain at that status level is shackling her, preventing really growth. Bella knows, she’s been there before. It’s why she’s more than happy to keep trying to be friends with her; hopefully there’s someone fun and cheery under all that teenage melodrama.

Scribbling down the notes on the board, Bella chances another quick glance towards Edward, taking note of the stiff shoulders and just how little his rib cage seems to be moving.

“Does it hurt to breathe too? You’re really quite still.”

“No,” Edward whispers and it is a soft, slow thing, tinged with a strained humour that doesn’t really backup his words. Bella can feel her own smile wilt ever so slightly by the tension, but she brushes it off. If he doesn’t want to talk that’s fine. Writing’s okay too, everyone has their little oddities and who is Bella to judge a person by their little ticks?

“Did you end up with a whacking great big scar then?” Bella asks as Edward reaches for the equipment. There’s a hazy memory of appendicitis and scars baffling in the back of her mind; it’s not something she’s had to think about in a long time but the old knowledge slowly comes tumbling back. Edward Cullen, he of the golden eyes that seem darker than before, twists to give her a curious look and Bella traces a line down the side of her abdomen. She has no idea if that is where a lab appendicitis scar would rest, she’s taking a guess. From the amused smile Edward tries to hide in his lips as he ducks to write on their conversation paper, she’s not quite hit the mark.

‘Carlisle saved my life, but he did make the scar he gave me as neat as possible.’

“Coolio. Hopefully he’s not ruined your chances as a male model; Jess’ll be heartbroken if that’s the case.”

‘It’s a huge scar, ugly and twisted.’ Bella snorts a laugh, having not truly expected a response like that. She can’t tell if it’s a deadpan joke or a genuine attempt by Edward to shake Jessica off his tail, but she finds it funny all the same.

“Has your blond brother had appendicitis recently too? He was wearing your expression at lunch time.”

And, she thinks as Edward’s writes a decisive ‘no’ on the sheet of paper, that maybe making friends with one of the elusive Cullens isn’t as hard as everyone thought. People just need to be a little more positive about things.

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

He’s on Edward watch tonight, seeing as Alice and Esme took last night’s shift. Him and Rose, his darling wife, the butter to his bread, the venom to his fangs, the-

“Emmett!” Edward’s irritated hiss draws him back to the present and Emmett laughs, dropping onto a particularly thick tree branch. It groans under his weight but holds steady.

“Don’t be such a bore, Eddy.” If he doesn’t like what’s going on in his head, then he shouldn’t go digging through it. After all, he’s got some brilliant memories he’s more than happy to think about with Rose. Just like that time she- “Ow! Babe!” The crack of Rose’s hand slamming against his chest tumbled through the air, thunder on a cloudless night. He spots Bella (it’s Bella, to Isabelle which is great because it’s so much less of a mouthful) on the front porch spending a curious glance to the sky. Luckily, she shrugs it off as irrelevant and gets back to stretching. The girl’s in good shape, not Rose worthy shape, but then what other woman is shaped like a goddess and just as-

“Emmett,” Edward moans, pressing forefinger and thumb to his forehead, “please.” Right, keeps he thoughts PG. He can do that. For a little bit.

“I don’t even understand why we are here,” Rose grumbles, arm’s folded across her chest, the soft pink of her hoodie a delightful background to the waterfall of blond locks that tumble down before her shoulders. God, she’s gorgeous, he’s so lucky.

“I need to become accustomed to Bella’s scent if we want to remain here.” Emmett snickers, shoulders rolling back in the same stretching motion Bella is currently completing. Oh, he wonders what it feels like, this fabled muscle burn that apparently humans suffer when they exercise too much too soon.

“I still can’t believe your appendix excuse got swallowed up, hook, line and sinker.” Emmett has gotten that bouquet of flowers pressed between two glass panes and the get well card treated for long term display. He’s not letting this go for at least fifty years; this shit’s gold. All this just because some chick rocked up outta nowhere smelling oh so fine.

“Bells! You got your taser?”

“Yep!” The girl hooks a thumb into her pocket, pulling free a small plastic box that she spins between her fingers. Even with the distance between them, Emmett can still hear the tell-tale crackle of electricity that sparks between the two prongs. “I’m good!” she hollers, stuffing the device back into her pocket before proceeding to fire quick finger guns at her father, laughing as she finally stops risking tripping over her own two feet by twisting around to begin jogging forwards instead of back. It’s a pretty familiar routine by now; whenever one of them have popped by to see how she of the delicious blood has been doing, she’d either been off running or up to something as ridiculous as the backyard swing.

Emmett loves it; it’s been a while since he’s seen an interesting human.

“I don’t see why we just can’t make her leave,” Rose mutters, folding her arms and watching the little human take off settle into a steady pace of a jog down the street. Humming to himself, Emmett leaps down onto the road, the sturdy tree branch he’d been standing upon shaking in the aftermath of his departure. He’d made sure to land away from any curious human eyes; the only other person really around is Chief Swan and he’s focused on the game. The game Emmett would like to be watching but instead he’s tailing Edward as he tails the interesting human. Well, there are plenary of matches that he’ll be able to watch in the future and it’s not as if he has anyone at school to discuss the match with. None of the other Cullen’s are really interested in football; baseball is the family sport, after all.

“Because we don’t have the right to remain here over Isabella,” Edward murmurs, the usual self-hatred taking over his features and Emmett pushes down the urge to roll his eyes. He’s never tested it, but given vampire physiology, he wouldn’t put it past his body to be capable of rolling his eyes hard enough that the pop right out of their sockets. It’d be just his luck and dear Rose would sooner laugh at his idiocy than help him for the first five minutes. Not that he can blame her, if anyone else did that, he’d find it pretty fucking hilarious too.

“And, like, Alice is super excited about it all. She must have seen something good, right?” Emmett muses, rubbing one forefinger and thumb against his chin as he thinks. “She’d have warned us if it were all gonna go to pieces. She trusts you, Eddy.” Emmett doesn’t exactly throw his own weight behind the belief Edward can resist. Sure, that self-hatred and certainty he’s a monster that must suppress his own instincts has carried he pretty far already... but Emmett recalls his own singers vividly. How divine their blood had smelt, how the scent had been a siren’s call, enticing him in, a hypnotic trance he’d not awoken from until he was already fang deep in a near drained body. Yeah, Emmett knows how hard that is to resist.

“I can do this,” Edward agrees, taking in a deep breath. The hunger and pain of denial is crystal clear on his face.

Well, he’s a stronger man than Emmett, that’s for sure.

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Waffling through uni work with only half an idea of what I'm doing. A boost in the form of comments would be greatly appreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Bella!”

“Hi, Mom!” Twirling the cord of the phone around her index finger, Bella drops onto the kitchen chair she’d pulled up to the wall, homework balanced upon her legs. “How are things? Phil treating you right? Or do you want me to come down and play the brat daughter card for a bit? I can still school myself into that role.” Rene laughs, the sound joyous and warm, rattling down the tinny phone. Basking in the familiar sound, Bella let’s her eyes slip closed, smiling softly. Rene’s a good Mum, little absentminded and a bit of a space case at times, but she’s always done right by Bella. She came to every dance show (before Bella decided she’d rather do athletics than after school ballet; more sports to learn about and take part in) and when she’d started picking up her own random hobbies, if Bella had shown a mote of interest, Rene had happily looked for somewhere they could do it together as mother/daughter bonding time.

“Phil is fine, silly girl. He’s the love of my life; if I wouldn’t settle for something without fireworks, what makes you think I’d put up with anything that requires brat daughter to save me?”

“Just checking, Mom, just checking,” Bella chuckles, scribbling down the first answer in the relevant box. Algebra isn’t too tough; she’d had a bit of a flair for maths in her old life, she remembers, and it’d clearly carried over to this world. Maybe a scientist for a job? She could help a fair few people if she went into biology and genetics, couldn’t she? Bella understands herself enough; while she’s not got much of a problem with blood, cutting other people open (even if it is to fix them) isn’t something she’s super comfortable with. So surgeon is out in the ‘careers for the future’ list. She’s not a big fan of the doctor idea either; she wants to help but seeing people in pain (and predominantly being exposed to those who she cannot help no matter how hard she tries), well, Bella feels like it’d destroy her positive attitude one day at a time. She’s worked so hard to cultivate that mindset for this life, it’s not something she wants to lose.

“And why is my little girl ringing? Any news?”

“Oh, you bet, the best kind of news. I have a friend, potentially a second one that I’m meeting up with after school tomorrow for lunch.”

“Ah! Any boys?”

“Nah,” Bella snorts, rolling her eyes and balancing out the 3X against the 4Y, “their names are Jessica and Angela; one’s really outspoken and the other’s quiet but they’re both nice girls.” For teenagers, Bella concludes, chewing on the end of her pen. “But I did go on a date today.”

“Share with Mama, baby Bell, share with Mama.”

“Okay, okay, why did you think I’d rung?” Truthfully, it’s been to check on her scatterbrained mother, but having a great deal to talk about, to giggle over in a way only mother and daughter can, soothed Bella’s edgy mind. Her Mum is safe, happy and just because she cannot see Rene, doesn’t mean she’s stopped existing altogether. “So, one of the boys at school, Andy, asked me out in a date and I thought, why not? I’d get to know another classmate, probably have a good time. And you know, it was fun. We went for a meal, walked around the little town park, we talked. Date stuff.”

“Awe! Does my baby have a boyfriend?!”

From where he has clearly been trying to pretend he’s not listening, Charlie’s head snaps up and he glares over at her, stubborn frown on his face.

“Nah. He’s not really mature enough for me.” Her father looks back to his paper, smile half hidden beneath the thicket of his moustache and Bella fondly rolls her eyes.

“Only the best for my little girl! Now tell me about these friends!”

 

 

 

 

 

Leaping out the trunk, Bella grins as broken ice crunches underfoot, her right heel slipping but left digging firm. It’s times like this (weather like this) where she’s reminded of that first and last disastrous attempt ice skating (or any winter sports really) with Rene. It’d all ended in tears. Usually it was tears of laughter as they poked fun at each other, but there was that case of the broken ankle… Shaking the thought off, Bella heaves her bag from the passenger seat, dragging the backpack across the cushioned bench until she can swing it up and onto her shoulders. The cool air nips at her fingertips, kissing harsh against her cheeks as she twists to slam the car door shut. It’s not too promising that she slides half a foot away from her car with the back-force. Hmmm, maybe she should invest in snowshoes; it’s clear her hiking boots aren’t quite up for the challenge. Chewing on the flesh of her lower lip, Bella adjusts the strap of her bag one last time and snaps a hand out so that her palm may lie flat against the trunk’s side. It’s not a hand-hold (she’d need to get to the bed for that) but it’s better than nothing. With the grace of baby bambi, Bella begins to slowly shuffle out of the parking lot, not yet daring to venture from her support until there is no other choice.

Another student on the opposite side of the car park almost goes down, limbs flailing wildly before he miraculously regains his balance. Bella shoots him a thumbs up when the boy makes a startled glance ‘round, undoubtedly wondering if anyone has seen his slip. She smears a big grin across her face to accompany her duo of thumbs. Unfortunately, she’s been foolish enough to release Ol’ Red to send her support. It’s really no surprise at all that Bella ends up arse over tits on the floor a mere moment later. Near-fall boy gawks as he laughs, looking a little shamed faced but Bella just chuckles. Typical Bella behaviour. Rubbing at her throbbing hip, Bella curls her legs back under her, hands digging into the black-iced tarmac with as much stability as she can manage. She’s halfway up, having managed to work into a semi-respectable half kneel when she hears the bellowing horn of warning. Head snapping up, Bella has a single moment to register the car that’s screeching towards her before it slams into her.

No, wait, it’s not the car that slams into her, it can’t be. She’s going in the wrong direction, has been hit from the side and not the front. But it sure does hurt like a car crash. Not that she’s ever really been in a car crash to be able to compare the sensations. Head on the concrete and mind scrambling to catch up with everything that has happened, Bella stares up into the wide warm eyes above her.

“You okay, Bella?”

“You’re Alice,” Bella notes, hands having somehow found the smaller woman’s leather jacket, curled tight in the lapels and she has zero intention of releasing her now. Nope, no way. First there’d been the car of death and now hovering over her is the single Cullen girl who must be an angel in disguise.

“I’m flattered, Bella. I’ve never been called an angel before.”

“Did it hurt when you fell from heaven?” It slips out of Bella’s mouth (she’s pretty sure she’s in shock by apparently even that’s not enough to remove the foot in mouth syndrome that has forever plagued her) without any kind of warning. Luckily, Alice gives the most delighted, pleased laugh that she’s ever had the pleasure of hearing. It’s not really fair, what few words from Edward were spoken in a swoon worthy tone too. No wonder they all ended up adopted; if Bella were faced by a younger Alice or Edward asking for something with their pretty faces as pretty voices, she’d be hard pressed to say no, Ah, who is Bella kidding, they could ask something of her now and she’s probably do her best to help. But she’d do the same for Jessica or any of the other kids here.

“Can’t say I’ve ever been asked that either,” Alice chirps, working one arm under the small of Bella’s back, the other wrapping around her shoulders. Soon enough she’s sitting up as a collection of high school students steadily gather. Included within that is he of the ‘horrific’ appendix scar and his brother who, if he doesn’t already have it, certainly wears an expression that suggests he’s on his way to contracting his own medical issues. Ouch. It’s probably not contagious though.

“You’re real lucky Alice Cullen was so close!” One of the other students points out and Bella pauses. She can’t quite remember if Alice was actually close by. She knows all the Cullen kids get to school in Edward’s ride (information fed to her from Jessica’s motormouth) but she doesn’t know which car belongs to the clan. Hell, she doesn’t have the slightest clue as to how the pixie-like girl had managed to react fast enough to pull her out the way of the car. Not that Bella’s ungrateful. She is in fact hella grateful. She owes Alice a new dress. If the other girl would accept something that doesn’t come with a hefty price tag. Maybe something homemade instead? Made with love and care-

“-lla? Bella?” Blinking, Bella stares up into the blank face of Jasper Hale. She’s never been this close to the senior but, just like the rest of his cohort, he’s ridiculously pretty. If she were Jessica, she might describe him as tasty, a delightful snack of a man. Edward is trying to hide a confused little grin by lifting the collar of his coat. Maybe they’re superheroes in disguise or something.

“She’s in shock.” Squinting at the pair but reasonably certain they said that at the same time (one more with a ridiculously attractive voice. What even-), Bella holds a shaky hand out for someone, anyone to grab.

“You know, I think I probably belong at hospital right now.” Evidentially, the good-looking bunch after because they’re quick to pile her into the back of a car that must be Edward’s. It even smells like them. Pressing her face into the cushion of the backseat, Bella whines as Alice cheerfully informs her she needs to stay awake, asking all sorts of silly questions. Of course she knows what the year is, who wouldn’t?

 

 

The hospital is just like the one Rene dragged her to upon the crest of the broken ankle incident, just with two key difference. Number one; it’s a lot smaller and, ergo, nowhere near as busy. She’s almost starting to kiss the hustle and bustle of Phoenix. Almost. But, yeah, it’s smaller and there’s so much more breathing space in the waiting room. Not that they spend any time in the waiting room. Instead a nurse spots Edward and waves them right through. Bella’s got hazy memories of Jasper calling someone; they must have called ahead or something. Her head’s pounding so Bella’s not really been in top form, noticing who the blond had been talking to had been lower on her priority list than letting his honeyed voice serenade her off to a quick nap that’d been cruelly nipped in the bud when Alice’s fingers had dug into her side. It’d been a brutal short jab and… And Bella’s not exactly telling the truth there but she’s feeling a little grumpy right now. Which brings her to key difference number two; Hot Doc. Edward and Alice and Jasper’s adopted father who has probably never given in to their puppy eyes because he’s got a set of his own and undoubtedly knows how to use them. Man, they’re all so pretty. Maybe not superheroes but aliens? A more advanced species of human? The pinnacle of evolution, that’s for certain.

Why is Edward looking at her like that?

“Well, I can see where the assessment of shock came from, but I am more inclined to believe it’s the bump to Bella’s head that’s our cause for concern here.”

“Come’on, Doc,” Bella moans, hands held pleadingly before her in a demand for tribute and fingers making grabby motions, “gimme the good drugs.” Hot Doc laughs, warm and friendly and kind and Bella can only counter that beautiful sound with her best grin. How can they not be related? That such pretty people came from different families, from different gene pools, doesn’t seem right.

“My apologies, Isabella, but there’ll be drugs for the moment. How many fingers am I holding up?”

Bella answers the question, along with the next handful the doctor fires her way. They’re easy enough and she’s reasonably certain the good Doc is scribbling down A+s on his clipboard. Flicking a quick glance to the younger Cullens who have been made to wait in the corridor, Bella offers the her best smile. She’s got no idea why they’ve stuck around (she’s pretty damn sure her dad’ll be here soon enough so it’s not like she won’t have a ride home) but it’s nice to know they care. That warm fuzz settles in her stomach, the one that always accompanies positive human interaction, releasing all those delightful endorphins into her bloodstream.

“You done good, Doc.” Hot Doc pauses in his work, flicking his golden gaze up to inspect her face. Slowly, his lips creep into a smile.

“I’m glad you’re pleased with my work, Isabella.”

“Huh? Oh, nah, not with me. I come back around like a bad penny. Nah, I’m talking ‘bout your kids. You’re all good people.”

Hot Doc’s warm, near proud smile is all Bella can focus on at that moment. But that’s cool, she’s had worse trips to the hospital than this.

The hospital bed is covered in crinkly, paper thin sheets. They’re awful. Scrunching up a section of the material, Bella releases the ‘fabric’ and grimaces as it remains moulded in place. Damn, that’s nasty. “Bella.” Pausing, Bella lifts her gaze; Edward is standing next to her bed. Is it visiting hours? Is he really visiting if he was the one to drive her to the hospital? Alice had been lovely company in the back of the car, for all that she is clearly trying to hide her superhuman-ness. Are they all the same? Is that why they stay away from the rest of them in school? In order to ensure they create no attachments that could jeopardise the work they do? How many lives have these people saved that we’re just like her; goon to die a gruesome death via out of control car?

“Bella, you’re confused.” No, it’s actually pretty cool. Maybe whatever is up with Edward is why he prefers talking through the medium of pen and paper.

“I’ve got a sketchbook and pen in my bag, if it’s easier to talk through that.” He’s got a bit of a pained look on his face, if it’s easier for the other student to communicate through that method, then that’s how he should do it.

“I don’t need to write everything down, Bella,” Edward says with a small smile to his lips, “I am capable of speech.”

“That’s cool, you’ve got a nice voice, you should use it more often.”

“I- right. I guess I will try to do so. You were very lucky today that Alice was so close by.”

“Ah, I didn’t notice she was close. Then again, I suppose it’s difficult to see her what with tall trucks and her not so tall self. Not that I mean that as an insult! She’s cute as hell at that height and I’ve got zero issues with her incredible strength when it comes to pulling people out the way. I just hope that dent comes out of the car.”

“What dent.” Edward, well, doesn’t quite question, but it’s not really a demand either. More a statement than anything that demands she go further, that she should explain more. Bella watches his face for a moment, watches his brilliant golden eyes (a Cullen family trait? When they’re all adopted? Or the sign of a race superior to humans?) burn into hers and she grins. She hasn’t been this nervous since she accidentally broke Rene’s ‘favourite’ vase. The one that turned out not to be a favourite but was in fact given by an aunt that always commented it when she came by so Rene had never been able to throw it out.

“When Alice stopped the car? She left a big handprint in the side.” If Edward were a little closer, perhaps Bella would be willing to reach over and clap a hand to his shoulder, give him a sign of clear camaraderie. “I appreciate your work to save us silly humans. You’re good people.” From the startled widening of Edward’s eyes, Bella’s pretty sure she can nail him as an alien. Mystery solved. Now how to deal with the overprotective dad she can hear bustling down the corridor?

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seated upon the couch, Rosalie inspects her (as ever) perfect nails, ignoring Emmett’s slouched form and Esme’s concerned expression. The rest of the family have just pulled up and they’re not even using vampiric speed to get into the house. Clearly something went down that one of them will be less than satisfied by. It’s a good chance that it’s her who will be displeased by it all too. With Alice risking everything to save a human guppy who’s all too unaware of her own mortality… yes, it will be Rose who’s displeased by whatever news they bring. As the four trudge into the household, Emmett straightens from his lazy slouch, Esme joining themselves on the sofa.

“We have a problem,” Jasper murmurs and that cinches it. There’s a reason Rose has little problem with pretending Jasper is her twin; they’re usually on a similar wavelength, focused on keeping the secret of the family, focused on ensuring they’re safe from discovery. While Jasper still grapples with his bloodlust, he’s got a good head on his shoulders. Rose appreciates that. So when he says there’s a problem, it’s going to be an actual problem they can’t ignore.

“Bella thinks we’re aliens.” Emmett roars with a sudden onset of laughter, those adorable dimples that’d first drawn Rose in surfacing in a clear sign of his genuine humour. She doesn’t get the joke there. From the straight lips and furrowed brows, no one else does either.

“Aliens?” murmurs Esme, lips pursed in confusion as she looks between the four, as if waiting for the other shoe to drop.

“Bella’s head, it’s not like any other I’ve been in. Her thought process doesn’t seem to follow a linear approach like every other person. There’s the occasional moment where it just gets, jumbled. But she saw Alice stop the car and she’s decided on aliens. Her other option was superheroes.” At that, the little pixie that got them into this mess giggles, making a faux motion at hiding the sound behind her hand. Rose is far from impressed. The point is, there’s now a human who threatens their way of life. A human who, no matter how far off the mark she may be, has realised they’re not entirely human. For Edward to be confessing this to the family as a whole means he’s failed to convince the girl of their ‘ordinary’ origins. She may think aliens now, but in a few weeks? Who knows where her mind will wander. No, she needs taking care of right now and Rose is not willing to move again, not willing to start over again so soon.

“Rose!” Alice’s sharp snap, her usual light voice cracking through the room like a whip, breaks across the room like lightning over the sky. “You can’t kill her! I’ve seen Bella, seen her before I met any of you.”

“…Alice, what do you mean?” It’s Carlisle that asks the question that all of them are thinking and Rose’s anger bubbles when she spots the other female swiftly sealing her lips. “Alice-“

“I can’t say. It might ruin things if I do, but… but Bella’s important. So you can’t kill her.”

There’s a still moment of silence as they look between one another, Alice daring them to continuing their line of questioning, Edward’s brow wrinkling with concentration but he’s clearly not able to lift the reason from Alice’s mind. It’s quiet, the same deathly silence that always descends when they just stop for a moment. No hint of breath, no heartbeat. Just a room full of soulless monsters who kill to survive.

“We’ll have a vote. Who thinks we should... deal with Isabella?” It clearly looks like Carlisle allows those words to leave his mouth as easily and freely as he would give up a tooth. That is to say, not easily and it probably required some (metaphorical) pliers. Huffing, Rose lifts her hand into the air. She’s the sole vampire to do so. Shooting a betrayed glance to the only other vampire she’d thought sensible enough to agree with her on this matter, Rose isn’t even treated to eye contact as Jasper ashamedly glances away. Emmett bellows another laugh and seals his fate of sleeping on the couch for the next two weeks.

“Please, Jasper’s nearly high off of the girl’s emotions, she’s so bubbly all the time,” Emmett choked out around a laugh, wiggling his brows at Rose’s supposed twin. The Southern vampire doesn’t even try to denying it, just slowly settles into the one seater without a word. His hands are firmly down.

“It’s settled then. Isabella lives.”

 

 

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

 

 

“What is she doing tonight?”

“It’s bath time.” Yes, Jasper had assumed as much; he can smell the scented washes, hear the fizzing of the ‘bath bombs’ beneath the water’s surface, all through the vented window. Steam coils out from the slight gap, invisible to human eyes but all too clear to their superior sight. The steady thrum of contentment and peace that all but froths from Isabella Swan’s form washes over his senses and Jasper just takes a single moment to soak, to really enjoy the sensation. He imagines its rather like a hot bath for a human; a glorious sensation that relaxes his muscles and slows his brain to a quiet hum. Watching Edward as he tortured himself over his singer is no longer the terrible task Jasper had believed it to be previously. While he can feel the other male’s irritating, his frustration with himself… well, it’s easy to ignore him in favour of the sensations Bella offers instead. Forks High is always full of turbulent emotions, rising and falling and yelling his mind six ways to Sunday. The amount of effort it takes to remain focused on the present, on the class and the rest of the coven… well it undoubtedly shows on his face, as Bella had so kindly pointed out in her short discussion with Edward.

Though he does find her assessment of them incredibly amusing. Aliens or superheroes. She’s so far off the mark it’s funny, only Rose doesn’t see it that way. Edward is far too focused with wrestling bloodlust into submission, Alice had seen her coming apparently, and Emmett finds everything the girl does hilarious. Jasper, well, other than finding her sheer emotional presence delightful, Jasper’s not quite sure what to make of Bella. She’s a strange human, mature for her age, certainly. She recognises how immature her peers are in comparison and she adjusts her interactions but never her intentions. She’s supportive and kind and so incredibly far from the typical teenager that she’s the biggest oddity he’s encountered in a decade. Maybe two.

“What are we doing here, Edward?”

“The more I remain around her scent, the higher a tolerance I can develop. Then life can go back to how it was.” Jasper makes a noise in the back of his throat, not quite agreeing but not yet disagreeing either. Sure, such a thing can work upon animals and humans, becoming desensitised to the scent of blood, but to them? It doesn’t seem to have happened for Jasper, not since he advanced from the stage of newborn vampire anyway. But Carlisle works in a hospital, works around blood every day without even the slightest dip in his iron clad control. That’s the kind of level Jasper strives to be at; he had a rough start with this… second lease of life (if it could be labelled as such), the only way he can keep going is up. He refuses to spiral again. Maybe in a few centuries he’ll have that kind of iron clad control too. And maybe being around Bella is giving him a strange infestation of hope.

“Can it really go back when such assumptions live in her head?” questions Jasper. The unsaid ‘she may be off the mark with aliens but she’s right on the money about the not human part’ resides as the sword of Damocles above their heads. Undoubtedly Edward feels iron kissing at the crown of his skull just as surely as Jasper does.

Nothing but silence exists between them within that moment, two vampires nestled within a large pine, occupying one thick branch each. How much is Edward capable of lifting from his head? Can the other vampire read Bella’s emotions from Jasper’s mind? Can he understand the overwash of delightfulness that she brings to the environment? How referencing a change it is; if Jasper were the earth, Bella is a blazing comet swinging into his orbit. There’s no contact, but she does steal all the attention from the mundane stars and their protractive presence.

“It has to. Humans shy away from what they can’t understand,” Edward murmurs and, on that, Jasper has to agree. If something discomforts a human, they do try their best to ignore it. That Bella is different from the rest emotionally, could she not be different in other aspects also?

 

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

 

 

The sun is undoubtedly shining and Forks’d probably be able to appreciate it were the big beauty not shying away behind cloud cover. As usual.

It’s March at last and Bella can almost feel the promise of flourishing flowers and the little lambs that an impending onset of spring brings. She’s looking forwards to eventually jogging without a hoodie. Oh, and the potential of sitting outside instead of in the school cafeteria.

“So, spring dance. Who are you going to ask?”

“Not Mike or Erik, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Bella fires back, a rapid return followed by a touch of innuendo-hinting eyebrow wiggling. Jess mock scowls as Angela (a late addition to their lunch table but a more than welcomed one) flushes hard and fast. The males that usually occupy the empty seats are off doing… something. Probably working on a plan of attack on how best to attract a girl’s attention so they might improve their chances of getting asked to the dance. “Oh, but wouldn’t it be hilarious if the girls all asked each other.”

“Too big city there, Bella, too big city. Boy and girl are the only acceptable couple here.”

“Well rats,” Bella grumbles with little heat. If she wants to ask a girl, she’s not exactly going to let small town syndrome stop her. This is, after all, her life and Bella’s going to live it how she wants to. “But no, I’ve actually got someone else in mind.” She flicks her eyes over to the Cullen table once, twice, and then thrice. Finally, Jess follows her line of sight and gasps audibly.

“Bella, no!”

“Excuse me, Jess.”

“Wha- Bella?! You’re not actually going to?!”

Rising from the table, Bella uncorks that fanciful vial of valour she’s been bottling up all day, making her way to the table by the window with a strong, steady pace.

Simultaneously, five heads snap up to stare at her and Bella can feel her fortification waver slightly, but it ultimately holds strong. It’s like set of battering rams against a castle drawbridge but she shall not fall yet. Not at the first hurdle.

Instead, she catches a pair of startled, liquid gold eyes and drums up her best smile, the one she’d spent childhood days practicing in the mirror, desperate for a year-mate to call friend, one who wouldn’t believe her ‘strange’.

“Will you come to the spring dance with me, please?” That Jasper Hale double-checks she’s definitely looking at him and not another of the Cullen clan is ridiculous; she made eye contact and everything. It’s rather endearing too.

His twin sister snorts and yeah, Bella’s well aware she’s punching above her weight here (like, two weight class’ of difference kind of aspirations) but she holds firm. You don’t get if you don’t try and the Cullen clan seem so… isolated from the rest of them. And yeah, they might be bringing it on themselves but who knows the full story? They’re all adopted according to Jess, maybe there’s issues with social interaction because of that, no matter Hot Doc’s best intentions. Bella can only offer a hand and see what happens (and hope it doesn’t get bitten).

Edward’s struggling to look at her and Bella hasn’t the slightest idea why when she scans the group before her eyes return to Jasper Hale. She’s doing her best to ignore how noise in the cafeteria seems to have halved in the last five seconds, never mind how more and more voices seem to be muting themselves as time drags by.

“You’re asking me to the dance?” Jasper finally says and his voice is just as velvet and sex-laced as the rest of them. Well hell, she’s not surprised in the slightest; is this what Clark Kent would have sounded like had he been real? A collection of alien superheroes and here Bella is attempting to affix one to her side as arm candy for a night.

“That’s exactly what I’m doing,” Bella concedes with a nod of her head, hooking a thumb into the front pocket of her trusty blue jeans, the ones that cling nicely to her calves but have a little more room in the thigh. If they just so happen to hug her ass, well it’s not like she picked those jeans- oh who is she kidding? Bella’s got enough vanity in her for that to be the sole reason she bought these jeans and can be honest enough with herself to admit to that. “Is this you accepting or declining? Come on, Hale, I’m a big girl, I can take a little rejection with only a few tears if that’s the reason for you pause.” Grinning, Bella runs a hand through her hair, pushing it back and away from her face. Without that curtain threatening to fall, she’s treated to the high definition display of Jasper Hale’s slowly blooming smile.

“I think this is me accepting, Ma’am.” Oh. Oh wow, Southern charm. That’s, that’s dangerous.

“Sweet,” Bella blurts out, so startled she pulls her hand free from where it’d been toying with her pocket to instead rub sheepishly at the back of her neck, “can’t say I was expecting that but it’d be a lie to say I’m not pleased as punch. And it’s Bella, not Ma’am, Cowboy.”

“Jasper!” The hiss that comes from a suddenly very angry looking blonde has Bella rocking back on her heels. Regardless of what can only be impending danger, Jasper Hale does not look away from her, nor does his little smile wilt. It’s just the thing Bella needs to see, that little confidence boost that’ll get her through, well, probably the rest of the year actually.

“We can meet at school, Dad’s a cop.” The unspoken ‘so you’ll probably want to avoid the intimidation show that’d come with picking me up’ goes unspoken.

“I’m aware. I’ll see you around, Bella.”

“Later, Cowboy.” Bella twists on heel, heading back over to her table, not even fazed when the big burly Cullen lets out a truly ecstatic laugh. Instead, feeling like her hands should be shaking from adrenaline or endorphins or something, Bella drops back into her usual seat and plucks up her unwrapped sandwich. Jess is gawking at her.

“What the hell?!”

“I’m going to the spring dance with Hale. Good luck with Mike-”

“No, you’re not allowed to do that. You’ve got to tell me how you did that!”

 

 

 

The afternoon passes swiftly; people whisper but no one really dares to approach her to actually ask. Well, barring Mike who checks with her if she is truly going with Jasper Hale to the spring dance. He gets a bit of a face on him when Bella confirms it, to which she can only pat him on the shoulder and happily inform him there’s someone who intends to ask him soon.

Which leads her to the present, inspecting the student bulletin board. There’s a call for help on decorations for her spring dance and while Bella’s no Van Gogh, she’s not too shabby at painting. Finger running under the room number, she twists on the balls of her feet, near skipping down the corridor, hem of her open coat pecking constantly at the back of her legs. There’s not many students left after school, the vast majority having disappear off home. But she does find a handful of overworked pupils residing within the classroom. Bella sucks in a deep, sharp breath and crosses the threshold, hefting her bag back up over shoulder.

“Fresh recruit Swan, reporting for decoration duty.” A startled laugh echoes her declaration and the ginger haired girl that must be leading the efforts here sizers her up.

“You any good at painting?”

“I’m no Picasso, but I’m half decent in the ways of high school art.”

Soon enough, Bella has found herself armed with a brush and presented with an empty banner that needs a bouquet of daffodils slapped across its extensive length. There’s something repetitive about the motion and she’s quick to lose herself in the painting, putting the events of the day from her mind for now.

 

 

 

 

There’s a truck on her drive, a truck that isn’t Ol’ Red.

Slamming the cab door shut, Bella pats her trusty rust-red automobile, flicking the tail of hair back over her shoulders as she makes for the door. Sure enough, it opens before she can even knock and Jacob is there with his ridiculous grin and wild hair.

“Jake!”

“Argh! She’s diseased!” Bella snorts, throwing herself into the boy’s arms and wrapping her own tight around his neck. If she happens to bury him face first into her armpit, well, that’s a purposeful power move.

“Gross!” Jacob quickly peels himself free and Bella grins, tugging gently on a lock of his near feral hair.

“Did you say my little girl’s diseased, Black.” Charlie’s call has Bella perking up, hip checking Jacob aside so she can make her way down the hallway to better greet her dad. She finds him in the kitchen, sitting up to table with heated leftovers cracked open to share with Billy. Bella plants a kiss atop her dad’s head, snatching up a wrap full of… whatever they’d had last night. It tastes Mexican, but not the usual flavour; some new recipe that’s name escapes her right now. Jacob ambles into the kitchen a few moments after the slam of the front door rattled the frame, hands digging deep into his pockets and a teasing tilt to his lips.

“Yellow spots, Charlie. I’m afraid she’s contracted a case of the adorkables. Common signs include paint-based freckles and adorably flustered cheeks.”

“Oh hardy-ha-ha,” Bella grunts, flicking Jacob in the shoulder as she passes him in her quest to find a mirror. The stairs groan beneath her quickstep up them but soon enough Bella is in the bathroom, half a burrito wrap jammed in her mouth and a galaxy of yellow spots littering her face. Okay, she’d maybe gotten a bit enthusiastic about the painting thing but at least it’s done. Bella’s contributed and done her part, she’s all set to go with the spring dance. Speaking of which-

“Hey, Dad! School dance is on the Saturday after next. I need to get a dress for it!” Heaving her sweater up and over her head, Bella snatched up her running gear, changing as swiftly as she can manage. She’s halfway through shimmying the leggings up her thighs when Jacob comes bounding up the stairs. He pauses and gawks, mouth popping open and Bella wriggles the last of her lower half into Lycra.

“Get a good look, Jake?” Now it’s his turn to blush, swinging around to face away from her and Bella snorts. It’s hardly like he saw anything; if they went swimming together he’d see about the same thing given just how much flesh a bikini covers, which is to say not very much at all.

It is with little fanfare that Bella leads her companion back down the stairs, throwing a sweatband at the younger teen’s head in a clear invitation.

“What’s this about a dance, Bells?”

“Girl’s choice, spring dance. I asked and my target said yes, so I’m going. But I do need to get my hands on a half decent dress to go with my heels.”

“Are heels really a good idea?” There’s a moment where both Bella and her father acknowledge the track record Bella boasts with balance and agility, sharing a shifty look with each other.

“I’m sure I’ll manage,” Bella finally mutters, peeling hair back against her skull until she can seal it in position with a bobble, “and if not, Jasper’s tall and has strong shoulders. I’m sure he’ll be able to hold me up.”

“Strong shoulders,” Charlie repeats dumbly, staring with furrowed brows and Bella grins back, pocketing her taser and loosening her shoulders, hopping from one foot to the other.

“Well, I could expand on that with you instead of Mom-”

“Leave it for Rene. Keep the kid safe on your run,” Charlie mutters, ducking his head down to continue inhaling his leftovers alongside Billy. There must be a game due to start soon; it’s the only reason Bella can give as to why Jacob and Billy have come over.

“Don’t worry, Chief. I will.”

“I was talking to Bells, Jake.” Laughing at the sudden fountain of splutters Jacob now sprouts, Bella snatched up his arm and drags him to the door, eager to just get on with it all.

 

 

 

 

The cool night’s air has her lungs aching and her pulse is a steady hammering in her ears. Bella sucks in a deep breath, laying one hand flat against a tree trunk as the other clutches firmly to her flashlight.

“Are you asking to get murdered, Bella? Running in the dark?”

“Please, I’m pretty sure this place has Guardian angels,” of the superhero or extra-terrestrial kind, “so I’m not too worried. If I’m lucky, they might be watching over me right now.” Jacob showcase exactly how he feels about that idea with disbelieving snort and firm roll of his eyes. Bella follows the motion, releasing her grip on the tree to instead pinch at the other teen’s nose, squashing the two nostrils shut. Jacob fights the motion, fingers attacking her ribs until she squirms away.

“I hope this Jasper dude knows what he’s getting into, Bella, because you’re absolutely crackers.” Maybe she is. Maybe she doesn’t think in the same way others do at her age, maybe she’s got a brighter, lighter outlook on life. But she remembers that haze of depression in the first few years, can recall the childhood photos and just how gaunt she’d looked, how dead-eyed she’d appeared. Sometimes there are moments when she wonders if, had she’d recovered from the shock a little quicker, acclimatised a little faster, maybe her parents could have made it. But no, that’s a bad thought, Rene is happy with Phil, Larry the Lamb style happy, and while Charlie’s not quite at that stage… it’s not the constant fights she remembers. It’s not the muffled sound of each parent crying in separate rooms as she lays in bed and wonders why she’s failing as the family glue, drying out and useless. It’s not like she ever managed to really stick them together as a family unit in the first place, looking back on it. But she’s better now, recovered and at the top of her game. It’s not difficult to remain there anymore, she’s been practicing all the smiles, the laughs, the positivity, for so long it’s engrained now. So what if she’s crackers; at least she’s nice about it.

“If I’m too much for him to handle, then it’s only for one night, he can run for the hills afterwards,” concludes Bella with a low shrug of her shoulders, arms thrown up and over her head as she stretches out the muscles there. Her core feels tight with how hard she’s pushed herself and she’s not ignorant to the sweat that laces Jacob’s brow. He needs to work out a bit more.

“Yeah, I guess. You know, being out at night like this kinda reminds me of some old tales my dad used to tell me.”

“Oh?” Head tilted to a side because tales of any kind are interesting and something she’d very much like to hear about, Bella hops from foot to foot one last time before she sets off. It’s not a round route tonight, they’re just retracing their steps now to make it back home at a slower pace. “Do tell.”

“I don’t know if you’ll have ever heard about this one, it’s kinda a tribe tale but you and Charlie are practically family anyway. It’s about the Cold Ones.”

 

 


	5. Chapter 5

 

 

 

What kind of idiocy have you succumbed to?!” Were they not contained in the back of Edward’s Volvo, then Rose would have undoubtedly began tearing through whatever she could get her hands on. As things are, Edward and Emmett are removed from the situation up front and it’s Alice that finds herself sitting smack bang between the fuming Rose and guiltily not guilty Jasper. She’d seen it coming, but that doesn’t make the situation any more pleasant to be in. Edward catches her eyes in the mirror, a knowing smirk to his lips and Alice sticks her tongue out in return. Sitting between Jasper and Rose when the tension is running this high is far from ideal. Alice does not want to be here, does not want to have to face this, but, but...

There’s pale lips in a smile, a wave of contentment as the sun shines down and they do not sparkle.

Bella’s laugh echoes in her ears as she comes back to the present and Edward has swerved, pulling up just off the road in order to spin around and stare at her without any form of interruption.

“What was that.”

“You saw it?” Alice chirps, bouncing forwards in her seat and ignoring the warring blinds completely, all but wiggling in her seat. It all keeps coming in quick flashes and snippets, rapid-fire slices of life that she can never quite bring up to show after they’ve happened. It’s not from a lack of trying, that’s for sure. Edward is staring, a clear light in his eyes and finally, finally someone is starting to understand why Alice is so insistent that Bella’s important. She’s looked, she’s search and stared into the future and the never ending expanse of possibilities. It’s only with Bella Alice and we’ll, only with Bella a’okay and friends with them that this kind of impossibility occurs. She’s seen it, seen every outcome that could come about and yet there’s always more to see. In each and every vision... they’re happy. Happy and brimming with hope.

“Alice-“

“That is why we need Bella,” Alice states, finality clear in her tone and Edward just watches, his gaze steady but a slow acceptance coiling from his form.

“What did you see?” It’s Emmett who asks the question, voice near a whine with the level of curiosity within it. Rose’s gaze is hard and heavy, the weighty world upon Alice’s shoulders and all the deer can do is just grin and bear it; it’ll become clear to her soon enough. “Come on, tell me!” Well that is most certainly a whine and Alice would never normally indulge the vampire. However, Edward has managed to get a sneak peek, what could one more hint help?

“Hope, Emmett. It was hope.”

It doesn’t put the argument off indefinitely, just until Edward starts up the Volvo again and they set off down the road. Luckily, with how far the house is from the centre of town, there are few people traversing this road right now. Still, the moment of silence is nice, while it lasts. As usual, it’s Emmett that breaks it with his usual level of tack.

“Why did’ya agree to go with Alien Chick anyway, Jazz?” Rose’s already dark mood blackens and Emmett’s giant shoulders hunch down, the hindsight realisation that he will be further banished from their shared bedroom hitting home too little too late. The poor fool has already been sleeping on the couch for far too long in Alice’s opinion. Then again, she has no true idea of how she’d feel in a relationship. Involuntarily, her eyes slide to Jasper, venom pooling in her dry mouth that she hastily swallows back. There had once been the opportunity for something, only... patience has offered greater rewards for both of them. A great deal is out of her hands now, a choice she has made if not happily then with a tentative hope. It’s a change when she’s not the deciding vote on future events. It doesn’t make sitting beside Rose’s stewing resentment anymore pleasant.

“She’s... pleasant to be around.”

“Oh my god, you are high on Bubbles.”

“Don’t call Bella that,” Alice groans, even though she’s well aware that Emmett has solidified his claim of intent regarding friendship with the human by slapping a nickname on her. From the set to her face, Rose has recognised this too and appears to be attempting to burn holes in Emmett’s head. Which, you know, means she’s not trying to burn holes in Alice’s head in order to get a clear shot at Jasper.

“What about your control.”

“I don’t really think you have much ground to stand on, Edward.” And just like that, the tension in the car wretches up another notch, Jasper’s statement meeting Edward’s question as their eyes lock via rear view mirror. Alice could do without all this postering, all this huffle and fuffle. She already knows nothing bad is going to happen, they’ll be no accident and without the presence of other vampires to inflict further strain on Jasper’s own bloodlust... yes, that could work.

“It’s simple, Carlisle and Esme will offer to chaperone the dance,” Alice declares, hands clapping together as everything comes into alignment in her mind. Yes, that’ll all work rather well, quite frankly. Though she’s sad to miss a dance and an opportunity to dress up, well, there’ll be plenty of those in the future. This’ll be a good step for Jasper, a solid way to build his confidence and time with Bella will certainly do him some good.

“I can’t believe you are encouraging this madness, Alice. The girl might not be at vampire yet, but it’s only take one slip and then it’s all over.”

“We’ll be careful, both with ourselves and her.” Slipping her hand over Jasper’s, Alice gives it an encouraging, supportive squeeze, feeling the marble like muscles relax minutely beneath her grasp. The sensation of his skin, of those scars are still strange to the touch ( and oh, there would have been a life where that was nothing but normal if Alice hadn’t had the patience) so she returns her hand back to its partner and places both primly in her lap. The leather bracelet, dyed strands woven into a five part pattern (a thank you gift from Bella) clashes horribly with her outfit. Alice has yet to take it off.

“And the Volturi?” All five of them take a moment to consider that, a solemn still air entering the space between them.

“Well, the Volturi rarely leave Italy unless something has gone very wrong. And if that’s going to happen, I’ll catch it.”

Rose doesn’t talk any more on the way home. It isn’t until they get back and Jasper disappears to hunt that they realise the Southern vampire had never really expanded on his reasoning for accepting Bella’s request.

 

 

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* * *

 

 

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There’s the ring of the doorbell, shrill and sharp and certainly unexpected. Shoving the last pin into her hair and glancing in the mirror, Bella skedaddles down the hallway, almost slipping on the wet patch she’d not bothered to clean up that’s been left from her boots earlier that day. Yanking open the door produces not the stressed out Jessica she was expecting or even an unannounced Billy Black (even though there’s no game on tonight, but Bella cannot deny the possibility of them changing it up and watching the hockey or something instead) she would have not expected but not been surprised by.

Instead, Jasper Hale is there, hands held formally before himself with a flower corsage between his fingers that matches the blunted yellow of her dress perfectly. Bella blinks but he doesn’t disappear, instead a shallow smile slowly begins to surface on his mouth, the rain pouring off of the porch to land on the drive behind him. The tops of his shoulders are sprinkled with little wet patches, droplets residing in the half curls of his golden mane. In all honesty, something had been nagging at the back of Bella’s head, insisting that Jasper wouldn’t show, that for some reason or anther he’d pull out of accompanying her. Bella’s not too shabby at dancing on her own, but it’s nice to know she won’t have to break out those questionable skills.

“So, you’re more courageous than I was expecting of a senior.” Grinning, Bella steps back and to a side, gesturing for Jasper to make his grand entrance to her household. He does so almost gingerly, flashing another small smile her way and Bella cannot possibly have her own grow any larger. Jasper Hale looks so very out of place in her hallway and it’s not just because of how pretty he is. It’s the way he holds himself, as if should touch anything this whole facade of being human will fall apart in these working, naturally human surroundings. Too big. His presence is too big for this place and he doesn’t fit in the slightest. Awkward nonhuman. It’s adorable. Bella’s still pretty set on alien (shape-shifting alien is her best bet given the lightening and darkening eyes and the fact they’ve got human faces but they’re not quite right) but she’s adaptable. Tonight is about having a good time, for both her and Jasper. If she happens to gather some facts to clear things up, well that’ll be a bonus. It’d not been her intention when inviting him and she’s not about to let it take over the night either. Which means making him feel comfortable. “You wanna come take a seat in the living room, or is this as far as your bold heart will venture?”

“I’m feeling brave tonight, Darlin’. A new frontier, an’ all.”

“Ah, he sticks with the cowboy theme! I hope you know you’re never shifting that nickname now,” Bella declares, poking her fellow student in the arm and valiantly ignoring how little give his biceps have. She wouldn’t be surprised if it’s all compact muscle or simply non-human physiology. Whatever, she flexible. In more ways than one but that’s not how she should be looking at Jasper Hale’s shoulders so she shoved that thought aside.

“Bells? Whose does that voice belong to?” Shoving her way into the living room, Bella eyes the semi-sensible heels waiting for her by the couch before she turns her gaze to the lump of chief occupying it.

“It’s my target. Dad, Jasper Hale. He’s one of Hot Doc’s kids.” Her father groans, running one hand down the side of his face. The motion dislodges the pretzel crumb he’d had stashed in his moustache and Bella just eyes the offending snack evidence until Charlie brushes it aside.

“Doctor Cullen, Bella. It’s Doctor Cullen.”

“Doctor Cullen, Hot Doc, doesn’t matter. We all know who I’m referring to.” Beside her, Jasper Hale huffs a small, gruff sounding laugh, rusty in a way that indicates he doesn’t get to do that too often. She does her best to not flick him a nervous glance but it happens regardless. She hadn’t intended to end up introducing him as a date would and she’s hoping it won’t spiral out of control. They’re on a friendly date, that is a date as two people who might come away from it as friends. That’s what she’d been gunning for anyway. Meeting the one parent present isn’t exactly friend date protocol.

“Regardless, Jasper, my dad, the pretzel thief.”

“Hey now!” Snorting at Charlie’s half-hearted protest, Bella goes about swiftly shoving her feet into her shoes as quickly as she can, so as to restrict her father’s time scale of eyeballing Jasper. Thankfully it seems the Southerner is made of stern stuff (though she supposes he has to be in order not to melt in the sun down there... dependent on where he comes from, she guesses) because her company for the dance doesn’t so much as shuffle his feet.

Instead, he greets her father with a formal, “Sir,” and a shallow dip of his head. Almost military like. No, she doesn’t swoon (okay, well, maybe a little bit). Bella shoots to her feet, perhaps a little too fast because her ankle gives an irritatingly coltish wobble and it’s only by Jasper’s timely intervention that she doesn’t end up face first on the floor.

“Keep an eye on her, Mr Hale. She’s practically a fawn in those things.”

“I’d have given you an advance warning, but then I might not have snagged you as arm candy for the night,” Bella admits, utterly unbothered with confessing her deception aloud. After all, who would want a potentially klutzy hazard of a partner for a school dance? Egos are fragile; delicate little glass baubles that can break and shatter under the slightest pressure. Well, most are.

“I’ve quick reflexives.” The Southern accent leaks back through in a way that seems to indicate Jasper’d have loved to tagged another Darlin’ on the end of that, but choked the word down in the face of her father’s potential reaction. Cute. He still looks incredibly uncomfortable to be here in this setting but she’s pretty sure her dad’s just chalking that up to ‘dealing with parents of the date’ nerves. Well, if anything, it’ll be a nice ego boost for him.

“And I totally believe that. Don’t wait up, Dad, I’m off to Jess’ to spend the night gossiping after the dance. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

 

 

They’re going to the dance in the Cullen Volvo. She’d been reasonably certain it was Edward’s but now she’s not too sure. Maybe it’s a family car for the teens to use? Maybe Edward lent it out for the night? She can’t say for certain. But Bella can declare it’s the nicest damn smelling car she’s ever found herself seated in. That includes Phil’s brand new convertible that’d had the signature new car smell. Can aliens smell nice? Or is that a superhero thing? Surely it can’t be a ‘cold one’ thing. None of the Cullen clan have red eyes... pushing those thoughts to a side yet again, Bella finds herself babbling, speaking on anything and everything that captures her interest. She speaks of childhood adventures with Jake, trampling through the wilderness beneath the keen eyes of their parents, discovering bugs and all manner of creepy crawlies that her mother had squirmed over being presented with. As she talks, Jasper ever so slowly opens up too; it’s like delicately peeling an orange. She’s managed to remove the difficult outer casing and, soon enough, her date for the dance is now sharing how he and Emmett had ended up wrestling the last time they went camping. Jasper had won that match apparently, though Bella will take the potentially biased result with a grain of salt. Emmett is a big fella and while Jasper’s not exactly short (he’s over six foot but heaven help her if Bella’s ever asked the exact numbers), he’s not mountain material like the other male is. Then again, Alice’d stopped a van with her tiny hand... strength is a questionable measurement with these guys.

“Mud wrestling is nothing. What you really need to try is a mud slide.”

“Mud slide?” Jasper repeats, eyes still on the road but there’s a warmth of amusement to his tone. The climate control roars between each moment of speech, the hot air kissing at Bella’s face as surely as it puckers up to Jasper’s. It smells crisp, pulling in the outside air and heating it right before blasting them in the face. It’s pleasant.

“Oh yeah. ‘Bout half a mile from my house there’s a hill in the forest that’ll have a sort of trough carved out; I’ve been going down that thing on a repurposed snow sledge every summer I’ve been here. It’s quick and I can even stay in half the time now.” Jasper laughs again, that same low sound and Bella relaxes a little more into the leather of her seat. This right here, this is nice. She glad she decided to punch above her weight because it seems to be going well enough right now.

 

 

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* * *

 

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He’d not been wrong, it is a delight to be around Bella. But even she is struggling to compete against the curiosity cocktail that is the emotions of a hundred or so other teenagers. Jasper’s aware his face is probably pinched ever so slightly and he prays Bella thinks nothing of it. He’s also hoping she’s not noticed just how few breaths he’s taking. Maybe he has pushed himself too far too soon. But Alice had given him the go ahead, had indicated she’d not seen a major upset that’d snowball from accepting Bella’s invitation. It is only with his vampiric hearing that he catches Carlisle’s soft question, asking if he’s alright. He manages to meet the good doctor’s eyes, manages a shallow, unnoticeable to the humans, nod.

“You know, if you didn’t want to come, you didn’t have to say yes.” Bella’s standing right next to him and she’s been a good date so far, asking him for one dance before she bustled them over to the open windows the hall boasts. Perhaps there is something to his posture that suggests crowds are not optimal for him. He straightens his spine and shoulders, meeting Bella’s wide eyes as she peers up at him, her lips pressing against one another. It’s not that he didn’t want to come to the dance, but it’s not that he did want to either. It’s more...

“I agreed because I wanted to spend some time with you, Bella.” That’s the truth of it. Even among the rest of the Cullens, they’re not exactly a source of constant positivity. Then again, neither is Bella. While she is one of the brighter lights he’s met in his years, it doesn’t mean she’s a constant core of contentment. Right now, for example, there’s a nervous anxiety bubbling from her. What is different is that, as far as he can tell, she’s anxious over him. No, not over him, for him. Considerate. That’s the word; there’s so few humans that are ever genuinely considerate for vampires. Bella’s a bit of a novelty and he’s not the only one who has noticed that.

“Are you claustrophobic? Or is it the crowds that’re less than ideal?” Bella’s hand is warm when she takes his own, soft and terrifyingly prey like in his palm. It’d only been two hours ago that he had snapped the neck of a mountain lion, a creature boasting as much muscle mass as Bella probably has total mass, if not more. Alice had been right, they would have to handle her delicately. He still has no idea just what it was the female vampire had seen in her vision and Edward hasn’t exactly been open to sharing it either. But the subtle little looks the two shared, as if they were in on some great big secret that revolved solely around Bella... he’s curious.

“A little of both, Darlin’.”

“Well, that’s easily solved.” And then she’s pulling him towards the exit. Jasper doesn’t stumble, it’s not in a vampire’s nature to do such a thing. However, there is a moment where he is rooted to the spot before he can make himself as pliable as possible to follow after the girl. The last thing he needs is Carlisle coming over because he’s accidentally enabled Bella to pull her shoulder from her socket trying to move his stubborn self. The silk-cotton hybrid material of her dress swishes between her legs, the short capped sleeves doing little to hide the small scratch that decorates the curve of her left shoulder. It’s half healed over, the lingering scent of congealed old blood (which he can deal with) mixing with the tree bark she’s not quite managed to fully wash out.

“Bella, what are you doing?”

“Sorting the crowd issue. That, and I’ve always wanted to dance in the rain.”

Then they’re outside, the double doors protesting as they swing on their hinges, the lead vocals over the background symphony of pattering rain. Bella’s out under the night’s sky, head tilted up with the gentle droplets sprinkling down on her skin. Almost right away whatever mascara she’s used starts to run (he can all but hear Alice mumbling in his mind about cheap products and water resistance and you get what you pay for) but her grin doesn’t slip in the slightest. But the smells are wilting, dull beneath the soft onslaught of rainwater from above. It smooths the punch of Bella’s perfume, washes away the taste of concealed blood that has been lying in wait on Jasper’s tongue. So when Bella takes his other hand, Jasper uses the hold to pull her closer, until there’s a few inches between their torso and they’re swaying back and forth. There’s a curl of hair steadily plastering to the middle of his brow and Bella’s grinning up at him with brown eyes that’re dappled with a subtle green inner ring around each pupil.

“Is this better?” she shouts over the constant march of raindrops and the steady thrum of music that escapes the hall’s open windows. She’s bubbling again, that same sparkling optimism that could perhaps be best visualised as fresh champagne in a clear glass and Jasper is dangerously close to succumbing and getting drunk. Out here, it’s just her emotions and she’s having such a good time, enjoying herself and enjoying his company and he cannot help but to bounce off of such a sensation, to allow it to fuel him. It’s acres away from Maria’s darkness, the Newborns’ hunger and selfishness, the discontentment of wandering the continent and the tired acceptance that came with Alice finding him. It’s not the steady comfort of the Cullens, it’s not the content he’s slowly come to believe is the best he’ll ever get. It’s... it’s ridiculous, it’s stupid but it taste like hope, bubbling through him in a way that little has managed since he woke up to three females that’d been the last thing his human eyes had seen. It’s obvious now, Jasper thinks as he lifts a hand and it’s all the encouragement Bella needs to spin under it, why Edward and Alice had been such live-wires in the Volvo last week. They’d gotten that flavour of hope too. Over what, Jasper could not possibly say. But it is there, he has sampled it too. The crowd may have been uncomfortable, the way the material of his shirt and formal dress pants stick to his limbs is undesirable. He’s glad he accepted Bella’s invitation. As long as he’s careful, friendship with a human, friendship with this human, seems entirely possible.

“I have a few ideas what you Cullens are,” Bella suddenly states, still swaying back and forth even as Jasper stalls. The small pulls upon his arms are the only movement as Bella continues to dance. “Aliens, superheroes, cold-ones, hell, you could be part-time mermaids when you get near the sea for all I know. That’d at least explain your voices. Honestly, I’m not bothered. There’s been no suspicious disappearances around Forks since you moved here, I checked my Dad’s files. I think, what I’m trying to say is that I don’t really care what you are? Because I know Alice is kind, Edward’s a little weird but he’s nice enough, I’ve not spoken much to Emmett and Rosealie but Emmett seems like he’d be a hoot to know. And you’re lovely. Like, Southern charm is cute but you’re brave and well mannered and you were even willing to deal with crowds when you don’t like them. So, you’re Jasper Hale and I’m Bella Swan who would like to be friends with the strange blond Southerner.” It’s odd, how even with his brain it doesn’t quite jump right to an answer, that it’s still spinning over how very close she got (cold ones, how does she know that specific terminology? He’s aware that Billy Black is friendly with Chief Swan, but to the point of sharing tribe tales?) before she deviated to part-time mermaid. Try as he might, keeping the small smile from his lips is impossible. Once in his life he threw caution to the wind and agreed to follow the strange little female that’d turned up in his life and demanded he follow her. Despite all his previous experience with female vampires, despite the hesitance that’d come with being in a new land and the trepidation of waiting for a war that wasn’t present to drag him into its games. He’d gone along with the seemingly crazy girl and... and life had improved. He’d climbed up from that terrible hole of despair that’s been filled with all his demons. He can take one more risk.

“The name was once Jasper Whitlock, Ma’am, and I’m not a part-time mermaid.” Bella laughs, a delighted and absurd sound, her eyes bright and clear and altogether far more human than any other he’s looked into for years.

“I’ll stick with Cowboy,” she muses, tapping at the tip of his nose with her pointer finger, with absolutely no idea just how dangerous his mouth is, no idea of how the last human who got so close to his face had met a very grizzly end, probably with more blood than Bella’s ever seen in her life. It’s ignorance and ignorance can get fragile little humans killed. Not that telling her would give her a better chance of escaping a vampire hiring her, not when she’s only a regular human but... but Alice said she was important. Insisted, actually.

“Bella. If you ever see someone like us with red eyes...” Jasper trails off because what can he tell her to do? To run? She’d be run down; it’d be laughably easy for any vampire worth their salt. No, the best bet of keeping the fragile little human full of positivity safe is to protect her themselves. “Let us deal with them.”

“Red eyes... so, cold-ones, huh?” Bella finally stops dancing, sucking her lower lip in before huffing out a breath. While her eyes are cautious, she’s not yet running for the hills. What a lacking sense of self-preservation. “Give me some time to digest that? I’ll not blab if you don’t turn me into a snack, alright?”

“We only drink from animals, Darlin’.”

“Sounds good. I’m gonna go find Jess, I’m staying with her tonight. But, thanks. For a fun night, I can tick ‘danced in rain with a cowboy’ off of my bucket list.” She winks, claps him once on the shoulder (she has to perch right up on her tiptoes to do so and would’ve toppled right over had he not caught her elbow, but she doesn’t flinch from the support either) and then saunters back off into the building.

Watching the wet strands of brown hair disappear around the corner, Jasper can’t help but huff a chuckle, one that could pose uncomfortable questions about his sanity. He’s never seen a movie nor read a book where being left in the rain after what could have been a romantic moment leaves a person instilled with such a sensation of hope as he feels right now.

 

 

It’s as he’s sitting in the car, indulging in the heating as he waits for Carlisle as Esme to finish to chaperoning, that he finds more traces of Bella than her scent and the few hairs she’d shed in the passenger seat. She’s drawn a smiling sunshine into the condensation on the car window, markings that are bleeding into existence despite her missing presence.

Hope.

It’s a funny word, he’s not even quite sure what it is he’s hoping for. But, just like how Edward and Alice had said it previously, it feels remarkably positive.

 

 

 


	6. Chapter 6

 

“I still can’t believe you left early because you don’t like crowds. Why did you even come to the dance?” Edward lifts his head as the buzzing mind of Jessica Stanley waltzes into the cafeteria, Isabella Swan walking along right beside her. She’s sporting bruises, injuries gained from a fall on Jessica’s porch steps after the dance. He’s not quite sure why the other girl had felt to the need to gossip after the event and neither is Bella. Admittedly, Edward should have been able to glean some ideas given his ability to read minds. He’s still clueless.

“I have a policy of always trying something at least once before I let my opinions settle. Besides, it’s not my fault Fork’s school hall is hella small.” Once again brimming with positivity and a zest for life Edward had thought the majority of the world long past experiencing, Bella bounces up to her regular table, plonking herself down on her usual stool with a wide grin and an eagerness to devour her pasta-based lunch that Edward will never get the chance to comprehend. He can’t recall if he ever sampled the popular Italian cuisine in his human life and there’ll be no enjoyment from dining on such a thing in this life. Bella must sense his (their; all of them are shooting covert glances her way) eyes on her. She straightens, a gazelle in the wildness who has sensed the predator’s interest has fallen solely upon her shoulders. She twists, and Edward does not allow himself the opportunity to turn away from her, instead meeting her curious look with an even stare. Just to see what she would do. As usual, she bucks all expectations he has of her to duck down and ignore his weighty gaze and instead she waves at him. It’s an excessively obvious motion and he almost wants to hang his head in shame for being the recipient of it.

“That’s it,” Emmett hisses, shoving his cafeteria slop aside and rising to his feet, “I’m tired of not being involved in this.” Even Rose’s hasty, furious growl doesn’t deter the biggest vampire among them from making his way over to the very startled collection of girls. Beside him, Alice huffs out a little laugh, a light giggle that doesn’t leave the general vicinity of their table, a smile on her face as Emmett muscles his way into the seat that would have otherwise been occupied by the startled Mike Newton, who can do nothing more than stare form his place in the lunch line. He’s just another insecure teenager and Edward does feel a little sorry for him; it’s in the nature of teenagers to grasp at the shiny new oddity present in their lives. It’s why Mike believes himself to be enthralled by Bella right now.

On the table that is suddenly the centre of everybody’s attention, Bella looks delightfully surprised, eyes wide and lips parted before she recovers. She hoiks her bag up and off the stool beside her just in time for Emmett to replace it. Edward flicks a quick glance to Alice in askance but the small vampire just waves away his concerns, forcibly removing her own gaze from the scene to give an illusion of privacy. As if all the vampires in the room aren’t going to be earwigging every last line spoken on that table now.

“Hey, I’m Emmett. What’re your intentions with Jasper?” Cutting straight to the chase then. Why on earth would he expect anything less from Emmett? The younger vampire is well aware of how bulky and intimidating he can look, often using that to his advantage whenever necessary. To the humans, he’s the most physically intimidating. Because, of course, it’s Jasper that terrifies the venom out of other vampires, given the vast array of scars that span his body. Sometimes, when he’s hunting and catches sight of the other vampire from the cover of his eyes, even Edward tenses up before his brain registers, he knows who that is. There are so terribly few vampires who can survive the number of fights that Jasper has, after all. Yes, for vampires, Jasper is without doubt the most intimidating. For humans…

Bella stares at Emmett with wide brown eyes, brain skipping in an attempt to catch up with the question. When it does finally register, she laughs, bright and bold and brilliant. Planting her cheek down onto a closed fist, elbow on the table, she wiggles her eyebrows at the vampire, as if he’s not currently disturbing the fragile peace between the other occupants of the table.

“I wanna show him a good time, if you get my drift.”

Emmett laughs as Edward grimaces, looking to Alice with a pained expression. Even if he can read the joking attention from her mind, it’s still a crude comment. This is what society has degraded into, after all.

“Oh ho?”

“Yeah, making friends through good experiences; the life goal is to gather enough friends that I can use the power of friendship to kill a god.”

“I like the attitude. Lofty goal though.” Planting his own arm down on the table with a thump that’s perhaps too loud for a limb meeting table-top, Emmett considers Bella through eyes that indicate he’s freshly fed. “Now, I gotta know, is it Edward, Alice or Jasper you’ve got the hots for? ‘Cause I honestly can’t tell.”

“You mean I can’t have all three?”

At that, Edward does startle, head shooting up and spinning around to look directly at Bella. Her attention, however, is completely on Emmett and, while he cannot see through her eyes, Edward is more than capable of reading her mind right now. The sheer surprise that Emmett is currently exhibiting on his face is clear enough even the humans can read it.

“Greedy! That hilarious and I still have no fucking clue if you’re serious, Sunshine. Name’s Emmett.”

“Bella, but Sunshine is fantastic, and I’m honoured to light up your day.”

“Ha, you make me sparkle, Bella.” And he needs to stop talking, right now. Rose clearly believes the same thing for she rises from her feet, crossing the cafeteria perhaps a little too fast in order to collar her wayward husband. It appears as if Rose’s presence is the signal to kill all conversation; the boys too dazed and the girls too intimidated by her appearance. Even Bella.

“Well, see you around, Sunshine.”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

The day rolls on much as an armadillo would, bouncing over all the uneven path that lays before it with all the grace of a fish on land. People are giving her side-eyes and all Bella can do in response is give them a bright grin, utterly unsure why Emmett Cullen had seen fit to interrogate her in front of Fork’s High’s gossip monger. Jess hasn’t left her alone at all, seemingly unable to believe that Bella hasn’t somehow magically orchestrated the Cullen clan’s interest. Probably with some kind of witchcraft. Hey, it’s not out of the realm of possibilities, given the whole ‘Cold-Ones’ thing Jake had so helpfully clued her in on.

Perhaps more pensive than she has any right to be, Bella makes her way over to Ol’ Red, a bounce in her step but a frown to her face. The sky is still covered by a thick blanket of clouds, tucked away ready for nightfall. It may be March, but the lingering touch of winter still persists in parts.

“Bella.”

Peeling her key free from the depths of her pocket, Bella flicks her gaze up to find Jasper Hale, in all his sweet, Southern glory, leaning against the chipping paint of her trusty truck. A worn brown jacket hugs at his broad shoulders, a butter-soft leather that stretches across the swell of his biceps in a way that Bella perhaps pays a little too much attention to. Hey, it’d a hard job for anyone to ignore the man that’s currently relaxing back against her ride like he’s on the set of a photoshoot instead of a school parking lot.

“Hello, Jasper. I hope the humans haven’t discomforted you too much today.”

At this, Jasper Hale smiles, that same high-definition thing she’d been treated to upon asking him to the dance. It’s a KO attack, floors her mind so that when he enquires if they can talk, her mushy shell of a brain can do nothing but comply before the words even register. Her non-human friend seems to register this as well, for his gives an apologetic dip of his head, all bashful long eyelashes fluttering away. As if he isn’t too tall for the looking through his eyelashes thing to work. Magically, he still manages it, despite the significant height difference between the two of them. Holy hell, she needs to get him to teach her that. That look is killer.

“Not catching a ride with the rest of the clan?”

“I was rather hoping for some privacy to talk, Darlin’.”  

“Cool, privacy is a’okay with me. Especially since your sis is sending me the ugliest look I’ve even seen. Which is odd as hell because she’s an utter bombshell. How can she even twist her features like that?”

As if capable of hearing that comment across a carpark and stretch of schoolyard, Rosalie Hale sneers. Bella offers a shallow little wave back, just enough to kind of showcase she has only a small incline of whatever Jasper wants to speak on. It’s why she jams her key into the lock of Ol’ Red, peeling the door back with only the weakest of protests from her rust-bucket.

“Wanna chat as I give you a ride home, if that’s easier for you?”

“As kind as that would be, Bella, I feel you’ll have a few questions for me.”

“Right, cool. Considerate then. Either that, or you’re gonna drop a life-changing bombshell on me and don’t trust my ability to focus on the road.” Jasper Hale only smiles at her words, giving no indication that she has guessed correctly or incorrectly. Which, yeah. This could be interesting. But she’s going to be learning something new, something about the world she is now in (or is this actually her previous world and she has access to secrets that she never did before?).

 

 

 

Incredibly conscious of the entire Cullen clan (minus the obvious one) watching her drive out the carpark with Jasper Hale in her passenger seat, Bella shoves Ol’ Red into his highest gear as she hits the open road, not too sure where on earth she’ll be driving to.

“Bit of a rough gear change there, Darlin’.”

“Passengers don’t get to complain, Sweetheart,” Bella snipes back before she’s truly thought about it and Jasper laughs. It’s magical, a sound she can listen to for hours on end and never tire of. For ‘Cold-Ones’, they sure sound warm enough. Flicking a quick glance at the non-human that currently shares her space, Bella has a split second to take in the vibrant honey of his eyes, the glimmer of his teeth, before she returns her attention to the road. While she’s not sure if a crash will kill Jasper, it’ll definitely do her in. She’s quite happy living her best life right now, anyway.

“I don’t need to turn you into a snack, do I?”

“I’ll have you know I’m a legit snack already, thank you.” Stopping at the traffic lights, Bella forces the shift into neutral, hefting the handbrake on before she risks another glance at Jasper Hale. He looks incredibly out of place in her rust bucket, but no more so than he did her home. Too big a presence, too… otherworldly. He doesn’t fit in anywhere, she’s found. No, that’s not quite right. He fit in perfectly before she was informed he was anything but human, before he confirmed it himself. Now, now she cannot stop seeing him as something extraordinary.

“Excuse me?”

“It means I’m attractive and confident in myself. In ten or so years, it’ll be a world-wide saying. I know it.” The lights go green and Bella pushes Ol’ Red into gear again, releasing the handbrake as she does so. Her passenger is silent, absorbing her statement, though Bella likes to imagine she can feel the amusement curling off him. “Do you mind if we swing by my house, so I can drop my bag off?”

“Go for it, Darlin’.”

 

 

 

The rest of the journey’s auditory experience is filled mostly by Bella’s own tales, recounting her many adventures with her mother in all sorts of extra-curricular activities. Not once does Jasper Hale tell her to be quiet, nor give any indication he’s anything other than a very attentive listener. He makes all the right noises in all the right places, asks the right questions where he should to prompt more of the story to fall from Bella’s lips.

She’s recounting the moment Renee had walked in on her attempting to paint her own bedroom walls when the pull up on her drive. The cruiser isn’t present; Dad’s still at work. By her own estimations, she’s got a half hour before she has to start getting tea ready, an hour before Dad should be walking through the front-door.

“So, is this a conversation we can have in the back-garden, or is a closed-doors, Jess would spread rumours of what we’re up to like wildfire kinda conversation?”

“The backyard will do,” Jasper confirms with a smile, running a hand through the half curls of golden blond that tops his perfect little head. Ridiculous, how can he look so good at the end of a school day? Bella’s relatively sure her own mascara (cheap brand though it may be) will have crumbled to cake the bottom of her eyes with panda like markings. Then again, she doubts Jasper wears mascara like she does. Maybe when she goes crawling home, Rosalie experiences the exact same thing. Though Bella’ relatively certain that the other girl will look far more appealing lounging in her pyjamas than Bella would. Mainly because Bella can’t do sexy if her life depending on it. Fun and flirty, yes. Seductive and sexy, no. That’s fine, seductive and sexy isn’t ever man’s cup of tea, after all. There’s gotta be some willing to get down and dirty with a fun and flirty.

Shaking her head, Bella comes back to herself as Jasper opens her door. She hadn’t even noticed him getting out the truck, nevermind rounding the vehicle to open her door like the good Southern gentleman he is. She opts to leave her bookbag in the truck, making a silent promise to return for its contents once the visitor she, in some states, might have appeared to kidnap has left.

“Are you not nervous about being on your own with me, Darlin’?”

“I don’t think I could stop you from hurting me if you wanted to, but you all come to school. If you wanted to be out and about hurting people, I don’t think you’d bother with the human façade,” Bella mumbles, gathering up the hulking mass of her hair and hoisting it up into a ponytail. A loose strand, missed by her useless fingers, brushes up against her left cheekbone and Bella determinedly ignores it. How cares about a loose lock when Jasper Hale seems as if he’s willing to offer her the secrets of the universe? Or, the secret of being a ‘Cold-One’. She’s getting vampire vibes, but given the lack of red eyes and previously mentioned diet of animal blood, she’s hesitant to make any assumptions.

“Race you to the swing!” Bella shoves Jasper in the arm but it does nothing to his stance, even as she takes off running for her intended target. Her lungs burn with the sudden challenge, booted feet eating up the distance between herself and the swing. But she blinks and misses the moment her companion moves, for one second the wooden board is void of all occupant, the next, Jasper Hale is standing on the plank as if he’s been there all along. He’d moved so quick she’d missed it. Worse, he’d done so when she was within touching distance and her crappy human reflexes won’t allow her to stop instantly. She crashes into him as literally as the word is implies, huffing out a startled breath with how the motion winds her.

“Holy hell, you’re rock solid. Rock solid and quick. Both your non-humanness?” Dropping to sit back on the grass, Bella does her best to ignore how the wet dew seeps into the tough hide of her jeans, peering up at the occupant of her homemade swing. He even makes it look good, like it’s purposefully rustic and not a ‘I threw this together in half an hour’ kind of bumpkinness.

“You can call it what it is, Bella.”

“Cold-One-ness? I’m hesitant to use any other term, because that’s the only technical term I’ve heard others use and I don’t want to mislabel. Not that anything I’ll say will change what you are, but I don’t want to offend.”

“Don’t worry too much about not offending, Darlin’. It’ll take more than a few inconsiderate words to offend me.”

“Doesn’t mean I should just blather on with whatever because you’re not human though, does it?” Grinning, Bella forces herself up to her feet, grabbing hold of the swing and planting one foot on the wooden plank. Jasper hastily removes himself from her home-made contraption before she fully clambers on, standing tall and proud with both handles clenched in each hand.

“Vampires is the term we use for ourselves, Bella. Since you know the bare bones, I might as well flesh it all out for you. Especially because my family do not know that you’re… well informed now.”

“Hey, I can keep quiet. No one needs to know you’ve told me if it’s gonna get you in trouble. I can play along like I think you’re still human.” At that, Jasper huffs a laugh, husky and low, as he leans back against the tree trunk. With his arms folded over his chest, he looks good. Too good to be just a friend; god, she hopes Dad doesn’t come home early, otherwise he’s gonna have awkward questions and she’ll have to bluster through them without blushing. Which, given the lily-white skin she’s been cursed with, will be impossible. And Jasper will probably laugh and she’ll end up even redder… which might be a problem for the vampire. Oh. She’d never considered that; would blushing make him hungry? How does that even work, is it scent or sight based? Or both?

“That’d be a good idea, if Edward couldn’t read minds.”

“He can what now?” Shit. While she can’t remember every thought she’d ever had on the Cullens, she knows there’s been more than a few daydreams. “I’d say I’m sorry for every scenario I’ve ever dreamed up, but I’m not. You’ve got amazing shoulders and Edward’s fingers are very pleasing. As is everything about Alice. Though I should probably prepare for your sister to gut me, given the handful of thoughts I’ve had on Emmett: I swear I’d never actually try it on with him, I know he’s in a relationship and I’d never disrespect a fellow human being by trying to steal their man.” Her hand has found the back of her neck and she’s rubbing sheepishly, suddenly finding the wet grass below very interesting. It’s hard to be embarrassed by the usual teenage stuff when you’ve got an adult’s brain. Being called out on all the NSFW thoughts you’ve had on the pretty people in your life is a new experience though and Bella can already feel her cheeks burning away.

“My shoulders?” Jasper mutters around soft laughter, the kind that has Bella chancing a glance up to meet his warm eyes. “Bella, unless someone’s onto our secret, Edward rarely discloses other people’s thoughts to us.”

“Oh.”

There’s a still moment of silence between them as Bella lowers herself down until she’s sitting on the swing, fingers twiddling with one another in her lap before a sharp bark of laughter escapes her throat. “Man, I’ve just really dropped myself in that one, haven’t I?”

“And what exactly have you been planning to do with my shoulders?” Jasper enquires around her own amused laughter, soft smile transforming into a dangerous smirk.

Twisting her weight about on the balls of her feet, Bella rocks back and forth on the swing, toes not quite leaving the comforts of the ground but coming close to doing so. “Well, it involves my legs going over them.” Accompanying the words with a wiggle of her brows, Bella laughs again, fully pushing off the ground this time. She keeps her legs up, lets gravity pull her back and forth, the force of movement slowly dwindling.

“That’d be dangerous for the human.” The words are spoken with a soft consideration, as if the topic’s never been touched on before. What does Bella know of vampire relationships? Nothing. Given that she’s relatively certain humans aren’t supposed to find out about their predators (until it’s too late and they’re being drained of their blood), then there’s probably never been any thought given to a human-vampire relationship. Which is a shame. Though, if all vampires look like the Cullen clan, she can see why no vampires ever go for humans. Not when they’re all pretty and smart and just all around better.

“What else would be dangerous for the human in a human-vampire friendship? Just for future reference?”

“…You still want to be friends, even knowing this?”

“Of course,” Bella murmurs, licking nervously at her lips and forcibly stilling the instinctive motion to start chewing at her lips, “just because you’re not human, doesn’t change the time we’ve spent together. Short as it is. We went to the school dance and we had fun and danced in the rain and you very kindly didn’t point out how ridiculous I looked with mascara streaking down my face. That’s a solid friendship foundation right there.” Heels digging into the earth, Bella halts all the motions of the swing, taking care to meet Jasper’s gaze. “So, tell me it all.”

“Well, to begin with, we’re fast. Fast and strong. I could untie this swing while you’re still sitting on it.”

“You could wha- HEY!”

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

He spends the next half an hour torn between informing Bella of all the aspects of vampirism he considers relevant to Bella and helping her create a better swing after he’d taken it apart. The look on her face as her ass had met the grass had been hilarious but Jasper had done his best not to laugh, instead grinning down at her from where he’d been lounging on the tree branch. She’d tried launching the plant of wood up at him but, with how it’d still been attached to the duo ropes, it hadn’t gotten anywhere near him. Bella had laughed after once she’d clambered off of the floor, all awkward human movements. Up in the tree, her scent hadn’t been so potent and he’d been able to draw in a longer breath, been able to watch her flustered face without the usual huger clawing at his belly.

“So, how much shit are you gonna be in with the fam once they realise you’ve told me everything?” Bella enquiry is innocent; she’s not hounding for gossip, but her eyes are filled with a mischief that’s rarely directed at him. Not unless it’s coming from Emmett. It’s no wonder the other vampire had introduced himself to her earlier today; they’re two peas in a pod. Both mischievous, both full of energy. Heaven help them, should Bella become a steadfast fixture in their lives, the two are going to spend days trying to outdo each other. He’s almost looking forwards to it, what with the emotions that’ll pour out of them both. Rose may still be unhappy with how he cast his vote (not that two votes would have won her the argument anyway), but it is so very rare a chance when he gets exposed to nothing but contentment, nothing but bubbling happiness.

“A lot. Wanna be there when it happens?”

Bella laughs, the noise deep and clear. She’s used to laughing, used to seeing the brighter side of life. It takes her a moment to realise he’s serious.

“By god, you’re serious. I mean, sure, why not? You’re clearly cool with keeping the helpless human alive, Alice saved me from becoming a truck sandwich and Hot Doc-” hot what? “-will have taken the oath to do no harm. That’ll be three who don’t want to kill me and I like those odds. Is this your first time bringing a girl home, Jasper Hale?”

“Whitlock,” he corrects absentmindedly, realising that she is indeed right. Alice had been the one to present him to the Cullens, not the other way around and they’d been the last additions to the coven. Bella will be the first new face in half a decade. Not to say that he is taking her there with the intention of having her turned but… he does want the rest of the family aware. To know they do not need to hide from one other person in Forks. He wants this friendship, Jasper realises. He wants to keep this easy-going interaction, to know a human but not have to hide himself. Even if it is all interactions, he is hyperaware of, it is nice to speak with someone new.

He’d never have thought to build an old-fashioned swing, but he’d enjoyed doing it.

“I could take you to the house tomorrow after school, if you want to meet Esme then?”

“Vampire mum? If she’s half as nice as Hot Doc and half as pretty as you, I’m sure we’ll get on fine.”

“Try not to have any day-dreams about Carlisle’s wife.”

Bella chokes, near falling off the tree-branch she’s spent the past five minutes straddling. He reaches out and gently corrects her posture, so there’s no chance of her tumbling out of the tree. The last thing he needs is her cracking her head open. Edward would kill him and Carlisle would be very disappointed.

“I’ll do my best. No promises though,” Bella ruffles the one lock of hair she’d not managed to tie up, shifting along the tree branch until she’s managed to get to the trunk. Jasper watches her work her way down, each careful movement calculated to ensure she won’t fall. The second her feet touch the ground, he jumps down, landing with a muffled thump before the human at the tree’s roots can even look back up to find him. Bella turns to the noise and scoffs, folding her arms and grinning all the while.

“We can build a swing in your garden too.”

They don’t need a swing in the backyard. It’ll ruin Esme’s aesthetic with the house.

 

The thought of that doesn’t dissuade Jasper from thinking such a thing would be a good idea. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Because so many positive comments had an effect and I started writing chapter 2 & needed somewhere to put it.


End file.
